


Stripper with a Big ... Heart

by delightful_fear



Series: To All the Tropes We’ve Loved Before [1]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Amnesia, Eventual Smut, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Jealousy, Los Angeles, M/M, Only Male Strippers, Sebastian is an asshole, Size Kink, Slow Burn, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-05-31 00:14:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 44,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19414447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delightful_fear/pseuds/delightful_fear
Summary: Blaine has amnesia, Kurt is a stripper, they need to have a fake marriage... Gee, I wonder what will happen?Based on the ‘Ultimate Battle of the Tropes’ posted by spaceorphan18 recently on tumblr, I’m clumping a bunch of the winning tropes into about five stories. *They will all be SEPARATE works in this Tropes series.*  This story has SEVEN.





	1. Saturday Night

**-SATURDAY NIGHT-**

“Hey Kurt, who was that guy I saw you with last night?”

Kurt looked up from his make-up. It was Sebastian, rubbing oil all over his muscular chest. “What?”

Sebastian smirked widely, obviously delighted to shake Kurt’s calm demeanor. “It was after midnight, and I saw you out back with some man, looking pretty cozy.”

The other strippers whistled and cheered, bugging Kurt.

“Oh, the Ice Prince is finally melting!”  
“Did you fuck him in the back alley, Kurt? Naughty boy!”  
“Mmmmm....me next, OK?”

“It was nothing like that. He was drunk, and I was helping him to a taxi,” Kurt said dryly, not reacting to the taunts aside from raising his chin a little. “Angela even gave me a hand with him.”

“Ooooh la la, Angela! Do you often give Kurt a ‘hand’ with his hook-ups?” Sebastian drawled, turning to look at their manager. She was a blond, busty woman in her mid-fifties, her beauty a little faded by time and a hard life. 

Angela had been around strippers for decades and didn’t take sass from anyone. “Oh, calm down. Was Kurt supposed to leave his boyfriend passed out in an alley?”

“Boyfriend??!” Ethan boomed out in a singsong voice, making Kurt cringe and shoot a glare at Angela. This whole thing was getting out of control. “Since when have you had a boyfriend? You’ve never brought one around here.”

Kurt gave an impatient huff. “I hardly need all of you to approve who I date. He is someone I’ve been online chatting with for a while. He isn’t from here.” _There. That should cover things well enough._

“Ooooooh a long distance romance!”  
“Hard to fuck that way!”  
“Lots of dick pics and phone sex!”  
“Mmmmmmm send them to me too, OK?”  
“Where’s he from?”

Rolling his eyes, Kurt opened his mouth to tell them to fuck off and mind their own business, but Angela jumped in first. 

“He’s from Russia,” Angela said quickly.

This sent everyone off, and Kurt glared at Angela, giving his head a little shake. This was getting out of control. He was wishing he had never helped that stranger in the back alley. These lies were snowballing. 

“Russia! When are we going to meet your little comrade?”  
“Maybe he’s a spy, working undercover...”  
“Maybe he’s a mail order bride!”  
“A MALE order bride?”  
“Really, Kurt, are you so desperate you had to import a guy to fuck you?”

The last comment was from Sebastian, and Kurt glared at him coolly, eyes narrowed to slits. While everything else was good hearted teasing, the tall stripper’s comment was a sharp barb. Kurt knew it was from all those times Sebastian had hit on Kurt and he had turned him down. Kurt wasn’t into casual sex, and if he was, Sebastian wouldn’t be at the top of his list. Sure, he was gorgeous, but he had the personality of a rotten toadstool.

Sighing, Kurt looked away from him and gathered his thoughts. “Alexi is someone who messaged me on my website and we’ve been chatting online for a few months. He is just visiting for a week or two to see how we get along in person. That’s all, OK?”

It didn’t help.

“You better marry him before you fuck him, Kurt. It’s what a good Ice Prince would do.”  
“Yes! Can’t sully his virgin bride!”

Kurt got up, trying to stay calm, and went to the washroom, more taunts following him. Sometimes things got a bit out of hand and he needed a break, before he got really snarky and said something he regretted. It had been a real adjustment working in a strip club, and he had been a little shy, reserved, at first. This had been interpreted by some of the strippers that he looked down on them, and he had gotten the ‘Ice Prince’ nickname around that time.

Eventually, he got used to the job and became friends with everyone, and was teased lots. He gave as good as he got. It didn’t have the bullying vibe like he’d experienced in high school. 

Looking in the mirror, Kurt knew the main reason why. After high school, he had lost his remaining baby fat and grown a few inches due to delayed puberty or something. He actually had cheekbones and a good jawline now, and wearing his hair off his face helped enhance all that, making his eyes look even bigger. He felt more comfortable in his body from his time in dance and performance classes at NYADA, knowing he would never be the type to get bulging, ripped muscles. 

Being looking better had it’s drawbacks, of course. Almost every stripper he had worked with had come on to him at some point or other. This was the era of Grind’r and hook-ups. Casual sex wasn’t considered a big deal. He knew when he was being watched by interested eyes. It had thrown him at first, and even though he was often lonely and sometimes horny, he politely declined. Sleeping with co-workers was messy business. He’d seen too many backstage dramas. It reinforced his ‘Ice Prince’ nickname.

Despite all that, he was respected by the group now. After a good performance, many of the strippers patted him on the back and brought him a towel or a cold bottle of water. His performances were drawing in bigger crowds, and it was making everyone more money. 

Enough time had passed by now for everyone to settle down, or at least to start picking on someone else. Kurt walked back to the dressing room. It was almost too quiet in there, everyone getting dressed and styling their hair.

Angela was rearranging some notices on the bulletin board, so Kurt sidled up beside her. “What happened in here after I left?”

She glanced around quickly to make sure nobody was too close. There was a radio playing at a low level nearby. “They kept going on and on, and I just wanted them to drop it. When you left, I rounded them up and asked them to quit asking you about Alexi. I explained that you were marrying him to get him a green card and they needed to be quiet about it so the feds don’t find out.”

“What!!!” Kurt said, eyes wide. He moved back a step, almost hitting the wall. “Why the hell would I marry a guy I don’t know?”

“For money, of course,” Angela said softly with a small grin. “I told them once he got citizenship, he was going to pay you a big chunk of money. Enough to go back to that fancy school.”

Rolling his eyes, Kurt felt suddenly exhausted. This is what he got for helping someone out. Having to live with a whopper of a lie. How long? Days? Weeks? It better not be months. 

Angela gathered him in a comforting hug. “It will be fine, you’ll see. I’ll help you.” 

With friends like that, who needs enemies? Kurt sighed again. It was too late to change anything now. 

...

**-SUNDAY MORNING-**

_“What are you doing here, Angela? It’s my day off and I was trying to sleep in.”_

The voice awoke him, making him blink and look around. He was lying in a rumpled double bed, in a small apartment. Nothing looked familiar. 

The conversation was continuing, so he listened in. _“Kurt, I know you have your father’s ring, but your husband needs a ring as well. It’s more convincing that way.”_

 _“Angela,”_ the first voice groaned impatiently, _“It’s not like we are going to be running around all over the place. He’s injured and lying low.”_

_“Yes, but you can’t keep him locked up in here. Be realistic.”_

_“This whole situation is ridiculous.”_

_”“Come on, you know I’m right. He’ll be perfectly safe in a disguise, as your husband.”_

_“Disguise!”_

_“Of course, Kurt. Those thugs are still snooping around, flashing his picture. He needs to look a lot different.”_

There was an impatient sigh. 

There was a rustle of a paper bag.

 _“Blue!_ ”

_“He’ll look a lot different. And maybe get him to shave off the beard.”_

_“Yeah, yeah. I’ll figure it out. Thanks, Angela.”_

The door closed, and he could hear the man walking around. Who was he? Kurt? Did they know each other?

Kurt stopped at the end of the bed, looking down at him. “Oh, you are awake. How’s your head?”

He was in his mid-twenties with large blue eyes and messy brown hair. He was slim, wearing a Lady Ga-Ga t-shirt and purple pajama bottoms. But even dressed so casually, he was still a good-looking man.

“I haven’t had any complaints yet,” he replied almost automatically, but lifted a hand to probe over his scalp. A dull ache became a sharp pain when he touched a lump on the back of his skull. “Fuck!”

Kurt rushed to sit on the edge of the bed beside him, pulling his hand away. “Yeah, somebody nailed you pretty hard. Any idea who? I found you staggering along a back alley when I left work, before you passed out at my feet.”

Closing his eyes, he tried to remember, but it just made his headache worse. None of that was familiar. “Who are you? Where am I?”

“I’m Kurt, and you are in my apartment. When I tried to help you last night, two big guys seemed to be looking for you. I got Angela to help get you here.”

That made him look at Kurt more closely. “You normally help out people like that?”

Shrugging a shoulder, Kurt gave a little smirk. “I have a soft spot for injured strays. I was always bringing them home when I was a kid. Drove my father mental.” He got up, going to the washroom and coming back with a glass of water and a couple pills. 

Taking the medicine, he swallowed them down, instinctively trusting Kurt. His head hurt too much to question it. 

“So, do you remember your name now? Where you live? You couldn’t recall anything last night,” Kurt said, sitting back down on the side of the bed. 

Thinking hard, nothing was coming to mind. His heart started to pound, and it was hard to catch his breath. How could he not even know his own name?

“It’s OK, it’s OK...” Kurt said, shifting closer to run a comforting hand along his back. 

The light touch grounded him, making everything calm back down. “I don’t know. How can I not know? Can we check my wallet?”

Kurt shook his head sadly. “Nothing was in your pockets. No keys, phone or wallet. This whole thing is so strange. Did those men attack you, rob you and hit you on the head?”

He could only shrug, closing his eyes and trying to remember anything. The only thing were flashes of memories from last night. Kurt and a short blond woman, on either side of him in the back of a taxi. An ice pack being pressed against his head. 

“Look, I’d send you home if you knew where you lived and that you’d be safe there. But in the meantime, you can stay here. It isn’t fancy, but you can lie low here until you recover, OK?” Kurt’s voice sounded sincere.

“Your husband won’t mind?” he asked, opening his eyes.

Kurt froze, blinking slowly at him. “Oh, you must have heard us talking earlier.” He looked down, seeming uncomfortable. “Um, yeah, it seems someone at my work saw me helping you to the cab last night, and I had to think up a lie to protect you. So, I said you were drunk and I was helping you to a taxi. Angela, the woman who was here earlier, pitched in, trying to help. And, um, so she said you were my boyfriend and that got everyone curious about you. So I said we had been chatting online. Before I know it, she was telling everyone you were from Russia and I was going to marry you to help you get your green card.”

“What?!”

Kurt sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping. “I know it’s ridiculous. But I work with a bunch of catty bitches who live to gossip, so it had to be a convincing enough story.”

“So, I’m your husband. And I’m Russian?”

“Yes, and we’ll call you Alexi until you can remember your real name, OK?”

‘Alexi’ covered his face with his hands, feeling dizzy again. Eventually, he got out of the bed. “Can I use your washroom?”

Kurt pointed the way, watching closely as he staggered towards it, looking ready to jump up and catch him if he started to tilt over. 

He splashed his face with water after using the toilet, and dried off. Bending forward, he looked closely at himself. It was like meeting someone new. No feeling of recognition at all. It was terrifying. 

He had olive skin and very large eyes surrounded by thick eyelashes and dark eyebrows. A light, well-trimmed beard traced along his jaw. His hair was also dark, but slicked back with gel. It was a bit messy, likely from being slept on and whatever happened last night, and he tried to smooth it into place. Aside from the sore spot of his head, he had a few red marks and scrapes, things that would probably darken into bruises. 

Pulling off the loose t-shirt he didn’t recognize, he saw he was slim and muscular, with a little light chest hair. The red marks here were becoming bruises, mostly on his arms and shoulder. Besides his head, he wasn’t in much pain. 

What Kurt was saying was ridiculous. Going along with that crazy story, staying here until his memory came back... But what else could he do? He didn’t know his name, where he lived, or even anyone to contact. No money to stay at a hotel. He was lucky that Kurt was so kindly helping him out.

Was he just being kind? The apartment was very basic, a little run down. Crowded with stuff, but very clean and organized. Was Kurt in cahoots with his attackers’ somehow? Acting nice to weaken his defences, to get something from him? Hoping he’d get a reward when Alexi remembered his past?

It seemed doubtful, and he had nothing to lose, really, by staying and playing along. A few days, and his head wouldn’t be as sore. Surely his memories would come back with that. It wasn’t like amnesia in TV shows, right? Needing another blow to the head to reverse it all?

Eventually he came out of the washroom. Kurt was watching him closely. “So, I guess my name is Alexi then. I assume I’m taking your last name since I can’t remember mine?”

Kurt grinned widely, and chuckled. It brightened up his whole face, making Alexi aware of how blue his large eyes were. His previous assessment of Kurt as handsome changed to drop-dead gorgeous. How much better would he look with his hair styled and wearing nice clothes? Alexi swallowed hard, his heart beating a bit faster for a whole different reason. 

“Great! Now to keep you safe, Angela thinks it is best if we disguise you a little, so no one recognizes you.”

Alexi felt a pang of pure fear. “Why?”

“Those guys were all over the neighborhood today, showing a grainy picture of you. They aren’t going to give up searching for you. They might be even offering a reward for information on you, if they are desperate enough.”

What could they possibly be after him for? He had no clue. 

“OK. Fine. Do whatever you want,” Alexi said, going along with Kurt’s lead until he had a better alternative. 

Kurt flashed him another smile. “I’ll get you some towels. How about you shower all that gook out of your hair and shave? We can dye your hair after that.”

Alexi glanced at the kitchen table, looking where Kurt was waving, and saw a box of hair color sitting on top of a paper bag. He suddenly understood why Kurt had said ‘blue’ to Angela at the door earlier. 

_Fuck._ Was he really going to let this man he barely knew dye his hair blue? Dress him up in strange clothes and parade him around as his fake husband? 

Kurt nudged him, passing him a stack of towels. 

It’s just for a few days. He could shave his dyed hair off. It was worth it if it kept him safe. Helped him figure out what the hell had happened.

...

“I look like a fucking Muppet,” Alexi said, pouting at his image in the mirror. 

Kurt was twisting his hair into curls, obviously enjoying himself far too much. “I could say something very inappropriate, but I shall refrain because I hardly know you.”

“Say it,” Alexi groaned, bracing himself. 

Kurt smirked. “Just don’t start asking me to put my hand up your ass.”

Chuckling a little, Alexi winked back. “Well, not on the first date.”

“Your hair is amazing. I’d kill to have curls like this. Why did you style it into a gelmet every day?”

Alexi scoffed at the term, shrugging. “Fuck if I know. Maybe I needed to look professional.”

Taking a moment, Kurt admired the end result of the morning’s work. Alexi was clean-shaven, showered, with a mop of curly blue hair. It was a strong medium blue, and Kurt thought it would look even better in a couple weeks when his dark roots had grown back a bit. He was wearing jeans with the hem rolled up, and a dark grey hoodie. He looked completely different than the man in the back alley.

Arching an eyebrow at Kurt, Alexi seemed about to laugh. “If you are done checking out the merchandise, can we go? I’d like to walk around that back alley before it gets dark out.”

“Um, yup,” Kurt said quickly, his face flushing a bit. He grabbed a small box and shoved it at Alexi. 

He opened it, and saw a simple gold band inside. Pulling it out, it made his mouth feel suddenly dry. 

“Hey, allow me?” Kurt said softly, taking the ring from his loose grasp. He held Alexi’s left hand, and slowly pushed the ring onto his finger. It fit well. “With this ring, I promise to do my best to keep you safe, to help you find your way home.”

“Well, you found an injured man with no money or memories, being hunted by some thugs,” Alexi scoffed, staring at the ring, and then meeting Kurt’s eyes. “I can’t get much worse, sicker or poorer.”

“Yup,” Kurt grinned. “When you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go is up.”

There was another box on the table, and Alexi grabbed it, opening it slowly. It held a worn gold ring. 

“It was my father’s,” Kurt said softly, his eyes not meeting Alexi’s. He could hear the catch in his voice. 

Carefully pulling it out, Alexi slid it on to Kurt’s finger. “With this ring, I promise to do my best to recover and get out of your way as soon as I can. To be a good house guest, and ...um...”

Kurt chuckled as Alexi fumbled for more to say. “That’s enough. It’s good.”

Alexi took Kurt’s hand, giving it a squeeze while his big eyes caught Kurt’s. “If I haven’t said it already, thank you so much for helping me, Kurt. I don’t know what trouble I’d be in if you hadn’t come along. You put yourself at risk for a complete stranger.”

Giving a quick squeeze back, Kurt dropped his hand. “Sorry about asking you to go along with the fake marriage thing. Things got a little carried away when Angela and I were trying to explain things to the guys at work.” He turned away to pull on a jacket. 

“What kind of work do you do?” Alexi asked, putting on his shoes. 

Kurt put his phone and wallet into his pockets, and picked up his keys, ushering Alexi out of the apartment to lock it up. “I’m a stripper,” he said, in an offhand manner, and calmly walked along the hallway, heading down the stairs. 

It took Alexi a full minute to jar himself into following him. Never in a million years would he have guessed Kurt was a stripper. Sure, he was gorgeous, and had a natural grace to the way he moved, but Alexi always thought of male strippers as men with a body-builder physique. 1% body fat. More body oil than brains. 

Even from the short time Alexi had known Kurt, he could tell he was whipcord smart. His gaze was sharp, his responses fast. 

They were walking down the street now, and Alexi wondered if it was OK to ask for more about this. “Um, how...., um... why...?”

Kurt shot him a smirking glance. “I know, I know...I’m hardly ‘the type’,” he made quick quotation motions with his hands. “It was the typical story of coming out to LA for a TV show a friend was starring in. It flopped bad, and I foolishly stuck around, going to auditions, not ready to give up on the dream.”

“You always wanted to be an actor?” 

“No, not really,” Kurt replied, buying them both coffees from a small cafe. “I was more into musical theatre, going to a prestigious school in New York. The opportunity came along to come out here and I went for it. Afterwards, I thought I’d work a bit before heading back. Tuition and living there are expensive.”

“But you didn’t get much work,” Alexi added, knowing it was far too common in that highly competitive business.

Kurt shrugged. “By the time I met Angela, her suggestion I try performing at her club didn’t sound so bad. I was eager to get on any stage, have some positive feedback from an audience. She promised it was just a nightly show with a flat percentage of the door, no need to do lap dances or anything.”

Alexi sipped his coffee as they walked. He couldn’t recall going to strip clubs, but he knew most of the staff took money for whatever they could. How far had Kurt gone down that path? He seemed so innocent, normal. 

...

-A/N: This is the last story of this series, and I’m packing in SEVEN tropes just for fun. It will be around 40K words or so. I’ve done the draft and will be posting often.  
Tropes:  
“I have amnesia and woke up to a sexy stranger calling me his husband.”  
“We have to pretend to be dating because of serious situation! That’s OK, we totally won’t fall in love and bang.”  
“The loft was big, but there was only ONE bed.”  
“Canon didn’t show us all the kinky sex-here it is!”  
“This was supposed to be a one-night stand, but here we are still screwing around.”  
“The fic includes Cooper for no discernible reason, just for the sexy.”  
“Someone’s a stripper, with a heart (and dick) of gold.”

-Tropes: I just posted a ‘story’ called ‘26 Tropes’. It just lists the 26 tropes and which stories they are in. 19 are in these new stories, and the rest I have covered in older Glee stories. 

-Warning: This is meant to just be a fun, light-hearted story with a lot of twists and turns. Park your brain at the door & hopefully you’ll have a good time with it.

Elvira: [Clip.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=83WIDuukR0Q)


	2. Sunday Evening

**-SUNDAY EVENING-**

.....

Alexi jumped at the light touch on his arm. Turning, he saw it was just Kurt, and gave him a smile of acknowledgement that didn’t quite meet his eyes. 

“It’s getting too dark to see anything,” Kurt said softly, tugging him away. 

Resisting slightly, Alexi sighed, his eyes still scanning over the pavement, the back doors of the buildings, the graffiti. Looking for anything familiar. 

Kurt took his hand in a firm grasp, and they walked out on to the street. “Let’s get some dinner, OK?”

Feeling empty but having no appetite, Alexi shrugged, following Kurt’s lead. They were soon in a basic Chinese food restaurant, and Kurt passed him a small porcelain cup of jasmine tea. 

Kurt ordered a couple items with the server. “It wasn’t that likely we’d see anything. We just had to check it to be sure.”

Knowing he was right didn’t make Alexi feel any better. “I was hoping for something small, even if it was just my cellphone. Some clue,” he sighed. 

“Did any of the buildings feel familiar?”

Shaking his head, Alexi toyed with his chopsticks. 

Kurt reached over, covering his hand with his own. A comforting gesture. Looking down, Alexi could see their differences. Kurt’s ivory skin compared to the olive tone of his. His hands had shorter, stronger-looking fingers compared to Kurt’s. He turned his hand over to link their fingers.

“Why are you helping me so much? You don’t even know me,” Alexi asked, looking at Kurt closely. 

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Kurt took a minute to answer. “We all have rough patches in our lives, and I’ve been lucky enough to get help during mine. Sometimes from friends, sometimes from strangers.”

Alexi wanted to ask what had happened, but felt it would be too personal. “So, this is kind of a ‘pay it forward’ thing?”

Kurt nodded, with a small smile. But then his gaze flicked away to something behind Alexi, and he tensed.

“What?” Alexi said, and moved to turn to see what it was. 

Kurt squeezed his hand hard, and softly hissed “Don’t." Alexi could see him deliberately school his expression into a relaxed, happy one, and he picked up their linked hands to press a kiss on the back of Alexi’s. “Do you think you could handle having Christmas in Ohio? Have you ever had a cold, snowy Christmas?”

It took a couple heartbeats before Alexi caught on, the zing of sensation from the kiss distracting him. “Um, oh, yeah. I mean, no. I’ve only had Christmases in California.”

Kurt reached over, his eyes warm and caring, his fingers playing with Alexi's curly hair. “I’d love to see you wearing a knit cap and scarf, bundled up in a thick parka, your nose and cheeks rosy from the cold.”

Alexi swallowed hard, nuzzling towards Kurt’s hand. “Maybe having a snowball fight or building a snow fort. Snuggling together in front of a fire afterwards, drinking hot chocolate.”

“Laced with Bailey’s,” Kurt grinned back. “And sleeping together under a big down comforter. It’s so nice in the winter.”

The server came by with their food, and Kurt pulled his hands away. 

Alexi subtlety looked around the restaurant, and saw two large men sitting at a table near the door. Were they the guys that attacked him? That were still looking for him now? One was dressed in a black turtleneck, pulled tight over huge shoulders and muscular arms. The other was wearing a grey suit and sunglasses, his head shaved 

Kurt nudged his leg with his foot. “Come on, sweetie. Eat now while it’s hot.”

His stomach was clenched in a wave of fear, leaving him feeling clammy, and slightly nauseous. But he attempted to smile warmly and scooped food onto his plate. Steamed rice, stir fried vegetables, a chicken dish with black bean sauce. 

“It’s OK. They haven’t noticed us,” Kurt said softly, and started to eat, using the chopsticks with ease. 

Alexi poured himself more tea, his hands shaking as he lifted the tiny cup to take a sip. He concentrated on some relaxing breaths. 

It was hard to eat, but he took small bites, chewing thoroughly. Trying to look like any other diner in the restaurant. Would his blue hair make him stand out?

Glancing around, he decided that it wouldn’t. Tattoos and unusual hair colors seemed typical of most people under thirty around here. Kurt was chatting a little, but Alexi had a hard time following the conversation, nodding along occasionally. Slowly eating his food. 

Kurt stopped talking, his eyes on the diner door, visibly relaxing. “They are gone now,” he said softly. 

Alexi could feel the knot in his stomach shrink a little, and he gave a nervous chuckle. “Are you sure that was the guys? From that first night?”

Nodding, Kurt looked a bit grim. “Looking like I do, living here and in New York, I learned what kind of guys to watch out for when I’m out in public. Know what I mean?”

Scanning over Kurt’s face, Alexi was confused. “No...”

Kurt gave a bit of a huff. “People take one look at me and know I’m gay. You can pass as straight.”

“But I’m not. And I’ve been attacked for it,” Alexi said quickly, taking Kurt’s hand again. Was helping him now bringing up bad memories for Kurt?

“Then you know. You get a deeper awareness when you are out in public. A defence mechanism. Looking for guys who could be trouble. Keeping an eye on them,” Kurt sipped his tea, his eyes scanning around the room, before settling back on Alexi. “I just know those were the same guys from Friday.”

Pushing away his half-eaten dinner, Alexi felt tense and jittery. “This is so frustrating. Not having any idea why they could be after me.”

Kurt looked at him assessingly. “Yes, you seemed clean cut, wearing well-fitting basic clothes when I found you. You have no tattoos. You seem in shape, but I think it’s more likely from the gym than from a physical job. I think you are some kind of professional.”

“Are you a psychic?” Alexi said, trying a small joke to ease the tension. 

Chuckling, Kurt wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “No, but working in my business, you get to read men pretty well. You’d be the type I’d be approaching for a private session. You look like you come from money.”

Alexi dropped his gaze, fiddling with his own paper napkin. Was that why Kurt was really helping him? Hoping for some big reward? Hoping to get Alexi to fall for him? A sugar daddy or something? 

“Hey, did you mean what you said before, or was it all made up?”

Kurt’s question broke through his thoughts, and he met his gaze. “What did I say?”

“You mentioned only having Christmas in California. Being attacked. Being gay,” Kurt said softly, looking away when their server returned. She gave them some take away containers and the bill. 

Alexi thought about it as he watched Kurt pack up their leftovers, feeling a bit stunned. How had he known to say those things? Were they true? “Um, yeah, I think I meant them. They don’t, um, feel like I made them up.”

Kurt’s blue eyes caught his and held them. “Really? So they are actual memories? That is so good, Alexi.”

Leaving cash on the table for their meal, Kurt got up to leave, carrying the take-out containers. 

Alexi took one, and grabbed Kurt’s hand with his other once they were on the street. Heading home. “Funny how it just came out like that, in normal conversation. I’ve been wracking my brain for ages, trying to remember anything.”

Kurt squeezed his hand. “I guess we will have to keep it up, then. Talk a lot and see what jogs your memory. Can you remember anything more? Any more details? Where in California are you from? How were you attacked?”

Alexi thought about it as they walked. By the time they were back in the apartment and Kurt was stowing the food in the fridge, he shrugged. “Nothing more is there.” He slumped into one of the kitchen chairs. 

Kurt came up behind him, resting his hands on Alexi’s shoulders, giving them a little massage. “I have tomorrow off too. How about we have a relaxing day, travel around Los Angeles, and see if anything else feels familiar? This is such a good sign, Alexi.”

Part of Alexi felt guilty, having Kurt do all this trouble for him. Taking up so much of his time. Interfering with his normal life. But another part of him was feeling a pang of excitement. The thought of spending the another day with Kurt warmed him. All these little touches and being close to the man was making Alexi more and more aware of how attractive Kurt was. He had to keep reminding himself that the marriage was fake. Kurt was acting the role of a newlywed, holding hands and giving warm looks. This was just a temporary situation.

Kurt moved around the apartment, tidying up and pulling a few DVDs off a shelf to set them on the coffee table. “I’m going to take a shower. How about you make us some tea and pick which of these movies to watch?”

Alexi nodded, changing into an old t-shirt and pajama pants while Kurt was in the bathroom. Trying not to think of him naked, wet and soapy, only a few feet away. Getting busy making the tea, and setting it out on the coffee table. Piling cushions and a big blanket on the sofa, and crawling underneath it. 

The movies were deliberately picked, Alexi could tell. Kurt was hoping to shake out more memories from Alexi. One was a thriller set in a law firm, another about stock brokers, and the last a medical drama. Was he a lawyer? In finance? In medicine?

Picking the movie he hadn’t seen, he put it into the DVD machine. It felt a bit strange to do so, and he thought he must just stream movies at his home. He doubted he owned any DVDs. 

Kurt came out of the washroom in a cloud of fragrant steam, heading towards the bedroom, just wearing a silky red kimono that went halfway down his thigh. Alexi only saw him for a moment, but the image stuck. He swallowed hard, and poured himself a mug of tea. 

A minute later, Kurt curled up under the blanket at the other end of the sofa, reaching out to get his own tea. Alexi felt relieved that he was dressed in pajamas too, mostly covered up. He was becoming far too aware of Kurt, and the last thing he probably wanted was the guy he was so generously helping crawling all over him. Mistaking his kindness for something else.

“Oh good! You picked the Leonardo movie. I’ve had a thing for him since Titanic,” Kurt cooed, hitting the ‘play’ button on the remote.

Alexi chuckled. “Were you even born when it came out?” Kurt had an unlined face, and Alexi doubted he was over twenty-five years old. 

“Yes,” Kurt replied, his chin tilted up at a haughty angle. “I’ll have you know I was four when it came out and I watched it lots with my mother on DVD. We always cried together at the end.”

“I’m a little older than you then. I think I was in school. All the girls were talking about it.” Alexi said, amazed at the strange flickers of memory that were popping into his head. 

Kurt beamed at him. “You really are starting to remember things more.”

Alexi rolled his eyes. “But nothing useful like my name. Or my address. Or if I have a partner at home, worried sick about where I am.”

Kurt’s eyes widened at that. “Do you feel that you might?” His gaze dropped to Alexi’s hands. “You weren’t wearing any rings.”

Nodding, Alexi looked closely at his ring finger. There was no sign of an indentation or paler skin from wearing a ring there most of the time. No sign a ring had been stolen in the attack. But he could be living with someone. A partner. There was no way to know. 

“Maybe there’s a missing person report out for you. Maybe you have, um, a boyfriend...”

Alexi nodded. “Yeah. Or maybe people at my workplace... oh wait; I guess they wouldn’t have noticed me missing work yet. Today’s Sunday, right?”

“Yes. You were attacked Friday night. Slept most of Saturday.”

They turned back to the movie, drinking their tea. Needing some quiet time. So much had happened so fast. 

Alexi found the movie a good distraction, and laughed out loud at a scene of a heavily drugged Leonardo wrecking a Lamborghini.

Kurt smirked over at him. “You OK over there?”

Still chuckling, Alexi pointed at the screen. “A similar thing happened to some asshat at school. His parents were filthy rich, and gave him a gorgeous Ferrari convertible at when he turned sixteen. Before the end of the summer, he had totaled it. Driving drunk or stoned or both.”

“Was he hurt?” Kurt asked, chuckling along a little, but looking concerned too.

Alexi shook his head. “Nah, walked away with a few scrapes and bruises, maybe. Shit heads like that never get into any real trouble.”

“That was a lot of memories there, Alexi,” Kurt said, grinning.

The smile was distracting, and Alexi found himself returning it. Looking over at Kurt, the light from the TV screen flickering over his face. 

“Oh, um, yeah,” Alexi said, pulling himself away. Trying to remember what they had just been talking about. 

“So I was right! You are from a wealthy background. I get a vibe of ‘private school’ from you,” Kurt said, his assessing look back.

Alexi raised an eyebrow. “And you are familiar with that?”

“Unfortunately, yes. There was a spell when the bullying got so bad at my school my Dad put me into a private school. A few months around that scene, and I asked to be transferred back,” Kurt sighed. “But can you remember more? His name? Your school?”

Closing his eyes, Alexi prodded at the memory, but the more he tried to get more details, the more it faded. Like sand flowing through his fingers. Nothing substantial to grab hold of. 

Kurt passed him another cup of tea, and they watched the rest of the movie in silence, lost in their own thoughts. When it ended, Kurt turned off the DVD player and the normal TV news was on. Kurt turned it up, maybe watching for news of Alexi missing or any other related mentions. 

Nothing came up, and it went to commercial. **_“In a world where dinosaurs still exist, only paleontologist Rex Matthews can save mankind...”_** the deep voiceover purred, and an attractive man dressed in a safari hat, tight khaki shorts, and a torn, dirty t-shirt that revealed a perfectly waxed, tanned chest was shown climbing a boulder athletically. The movie trailer continued, with many long, lingering shots of the handsome star in various action sequences, and grabbing a blond woman for a passionate kiss near a volcano as it erupted, spewing lava and billowing smoke filling the background behind the oblivious lovers. 

Alexi scoffed, leaning forward to put his cup on the coffee table. “Can you believe the crap movies that are coming out now?”

But Kurt seemed entranced, gazing at the screen. “Oh, I’m definitely going to that movie. It opens Friday.”

“It’s about a paleontologist fighting a tyrannosaurus with his Swiss Army knife and a Maglite!” It looked like the stupidest movie ever, and Alexi couldn’t believe Kurt was interested in it. He thought he had a brain. 

Kurt shrugged. “I watch all of Cooper Anderson’s movies. I’ve had a thing for him since he started doing those credit rating commercials.” He got up, carrying the tea stuff back to the kitchen. 

“Ugh! He’s the worst! I totally don’t get why everyone is so ga-ga over him,” Alexi groaned, folding the blanket and then stretching, putting his arms straight up in the air and arching his back. 

It was quiet, and he looked at Kurt, standing by the entrance to the kitchen area, his face half in shadow. Alexi’s hands went to the bottom of his t-shirt, tugging it back down. It had likely ridden up a little, showing a bit of his stomach. Had Kurt been watching as he stretched? Had he liked what he had seen?

“Um, yeah, I’m gonna brush my teeth and head to bed. Feeling tired,” Alexi said when the uncomfortable silence seemed to drag on and on. 

Kurt cleared his throat, and went over to his desk. “I think I’ll work a little. I’m used to staying up until 3 or 4 am.”

Behind the bathroom door, Alexi brushed his teeth, and could hear Kurt moving around. This was a tiny apartment with just one bed. Should he sleep on the sofa? Were things getting weird between them? 

Would it be so bad if they indulged this? He was certainly attracted to Kurt. Who wouldn’t be? And the way Kurt had just been looking at him spoke volumes. What if he opened the door, walked right over to Kurt now, and kissed him? Hauled him back to the bed, let things happen? They were both mature adults. Gay men who had probably had occasional nights with hook-ups, right? As long as they played safe, what was the harm?

But what if he was misreading everything? Kurt had touched him mostly when they were in public, acting the role of a husband to keep him safe. When he had touched him in the apartment, it was for comfort, or to be friendly. Besides that look right a few minutes ago, there really weren't many signs of interest from Kurt. If he made a move that Kurt didn’t welcome, it would make everything awkward. It wouldn’t be good repayment for the huge favor Kurt was doing him, letting him stay here and helping him so much. 

It was probably best to let Kurt make the first move. Keep it friendly until then. 

Alexi crawled into bed, shutting his eyes tight. Kurt was working on his laptop at his desk, headphones on, and Alexi could hear the music faintly. His profile was illuminated, and Alexi kept looking at it. He was a bit aroused, and bent a knee under the covers as his hand drifted under his pajama bottoms. He got harder, slowly stroking, still looking at Kurt, letting his fantasies drift wherever they wanted. 

Images of pulling off clothes, kissing over pale skin, and Kurt arching his back in pleasure made Alexa’s hand speed up a little. But then he paused. Was he really going to do this? Masturbate in Kurt’s bed? Even if Kurt didn’t hear him because of the headphones, would he notice later when he came to bed? Should he go to the bathroom again, take care of himself? 

He was a man in his twenties, and it had been at least a couple days. No wonder his body was wanting this release. When had he had sex last? Had he woken up in his normal bed Friday morning, and jacked off then? Or in the shower? Was there a man in the bed with him? A tall blond man with a wide, easy smile? Had they kissed, had quick morning sex before going to work? Had Alexi dressed for some professional job, maybe in a suit, and driven off? 

What had happened later? Had he come home after work, eaten dinner, and changed into those black jeans and t-shirt? Headed down to this area? Why? Was he meeting friends? Had he been mugged? Robbed? Did he have some shady business dealings with those guys that went wrong? Was it drugs?

Obviously, from his reaction to that scene in the movie, he had been around rich guys and drugs before. Did he use them? Was he an addict? He hadn’t had access to anything in a couple days. Wouldn’t he be feeling withdrawal symptoms if he was an addict? Didn’t they need some every day?

The only good sign was that he was starting to remember things. Mostly stupid, irrelevant shit, but he was starting to recognize how it felt when something was a memory. It felt true. Another tiny piece clicking into place. Slowly rebuilding. Maybe if he collected enough tiny pieces, it would be enough to fill in the rest. He’d get to some critical mass; start a chain reaction where all his missing memories would flood back in. 

Or maybe it wouldn’t come back enough. Maybe he would be stuck with stupid fuzzy details, never knowing enough to know who he truly was, where he came from. He’d eventually need to find a way to make a living, find a place to live. He couldn’t take advantage of Kurt’s hospitality too long. He needed to accept reality and move on. How long should he give it? A week, a month, a season?

Alexi turned on his side, his arousal faded away with all these heavier questions on his mind. He thought over everything, going over every detail, putting it all into order. Tomorrow he’d get a notebook and write it all down, along with all his questions. Focus on filling in those blanks. 

As kind as Kurt was, Alexi knew his time in the apartment was limited. One week. He was giving himself a week to figure things out. By then, he needed to be home, or he needed to figure out another place to stay. Kurt deserved to have his own space back by then.

...

-Wolf of Wall Street: 2013 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, directed by Martin Scorsese. ‘Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.’ (IMDB). The scene were Leo’s characters take some old quaaludes that suddenly hit him hard is HILARIOUS. It shows him crawling to his car & thinking that he drove home OK. Then it later shows what actually happened. [Clip. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KmZnot1m-oA)

-Safari Hat /Pith Helmet: I can picture Cooper Anderson in a sexy, tight safari outfit. Good cheesy Hollywood style. [Info about safari hats. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xzfX_XxtbnI)


	3. Monday

**-MONDAY MORNING-**

Alexi gazed out of the window at the city rushing past, hoping for a pang of recognition. A sense of belonging. Something to tether him down. 

Kurt looked good, wearing a deep red hoodie with black jeans. Much more casual than Alexi had seen him before. He kept glancing Alexi’s way. Hoping for recognition as much as Alexi was.

So far, nothing had pinged that way. A friend of Kurt’s had dropped them at Union Station in the heart of old Los Angeles. It was from an older era, with inlaid patterns on the floors, soaring ceiling decorated with pendulous chandeliers and wide arches. Outside, they walked along Olvera street, the red tiles along the pedestrian market complimenting all the colourful goods being sold in the tiny shops. Piñatas, striped blankets and other Mexican goods almost bursting out of overflowing baskets. 

Nearby, they had caught a regular city bus. “It goes along Sunset Boulevard all the way to UCLA. We will travel through Chinatown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Bel-Air...” Kurt said, paying both of their fares and encouraging Alexi to take a window seat near the front with a good view. 

Each stop was announced with an automated voice, and showed on the small display screen at the front of the bus. “Sunset and Echo Park.... Sunset and Vine...”. The names seemed vaguely familiar, but not in any deeper way. They passed by businesses like In & Out Burger, Amoeba Records, and Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. He saw glimpses of the infamous Hollywood sign the hills to the north 

There was a large billboard with a strange creature on it, and Alexi swivelled in his seat, trying to read it.

“What?” Kurt asked, rousing out of a slightly sleepy state. “What were you looking at?”

Alexi felt his heart thumping, and a pang of excitement. “I don’t know, just a strange billboard. Um, I think it had a drawing of a griffin on it,” he explained, feeling a little foolish.

“Like Buckbeak?” Kurt immediately asked, sitting up straighter.

Grinning, Alexi couldn’t believe Kurt had come up with that name so quickly. “No, he was a hippogriff. They are half eagle, half horse. Griffins are half eagle, half lion.”

Kurt didn’t seem to mind the correction. “Perhaps we should change your name to Newt instead of Alexi.”

Alexi chuckled. He knew something for sure. He was a Harry Potter fan, and so was Kurt. It was stupid, but somehow felt good. 

Looking out the window again, he spotted the billboard advertisement again, and had a chance to read more of it. “It’s some museum exhibit about medieval beasts.”

Kurt pulled out his phone, and nodded his head after a few minutes. “It’s at the Getty. We should go.”

Alexi rolled his eyes. “How is that going to help anything?”

“It’s the only thing that has caught your eye today. Plus, I’ve heard it’s a cool building,” Kurt countered. 

They were now riding through some more affluent areas, like Beverly Hills and Bel-Air. They didn’t resonate with Alexi either. Maybe he wasn’t living in LA at all. Had he been visiting for some reason, and just got involved with bad people somehow?

Kurt jumped up. “Let’s get off here,” he mumbled, making his way quickly to the exit. 

Alexi followed, and found himself near the UCLA campus. Large buildings, lots of greenery, and students wandering everywhere. 

After a quick snack, Kurt headed uphill. It wasn’t that long a walk to get to the museum. Entrance was free, and they looked over the current exhibits and events. 

Kurt pointed to a poster, making a mock shocked expression that made Alexi chuckle at first. ‘Intro to the Care of Magical Creatures: The Bestiary and Harry Potter’. 

... 

A couple hours later, they were sitting in the outdoor cafe. They had walked around the museum, gone to the Harry Potter talk, and were now just relaxing. 

From this hilltop location, the view was surprisingly clear, with very little smog. Skyscrapers of downtown LA were in the distance, and the ocean beyond that. The lower areas were packed with buildings in all directions, reminding them of the millions of people in this city. 

“I still can’t believe that painting was worth $54 million dollars. What would that even be today with inflation?” Alexi mused, looking more relaxed than Kurt had ever seen him. 

Pulling out his phone, Kurt did a quick search. “Hmmm....$106 million! I didn’t think it would be doubled. One of the ten most expensive paintings in the world.”

Alexi leaned back, crossing his legs. “The prices in the arts are nuts. Van Gogh painted that Irises painting when he first checked into a mental hospital, when he was starving and hardly selling anything. He died within months and that painting sells for millions?”

Some people were moving chairs around at one end of the outdoor cafe, and he watched them idly. It was nice to be here, pretending to have a day ‘off’ with his ‘husband’. Somewhat removed from Kurt’s neighbourhood and the worries about how and why he had been injured. Who was after him still? And who was he really? Trying to forget those burning questions that had filled his mind since he’d woken up in Kurt’s bed. 

“It’s feast or famine, isn’t it?” Kurt sighed, looking out over the elaborate garden. “I make good money here and could make so much more if I fucked my customers. You can’t imagine how much they offer me in those private sessions.”

Alexi glanced over, a little surprised Kurt had brought this up. He had sensed that even though Kurt was proud of his performances, putting so much work into them, he was still embarrassed about being a stripper. He seemed to accept everyone else, but judged himself at a different standard. Alexi waited to see where this was going, nodding to encourage him. 

Kurt looked over at Alexi. “It won’t be long until I can return to New York. I’ll have enough for tuition and to cover rent. Be able to live a basic life, focus entirely on my studies. But then what? I’ll be another performer going from audition to audition, barely able to cover my bills. As poor as Van Gogh was during his life, and probably just as crazy.”

Alexi had heard bits and pieces of this from Kurt and others, but it was the first time he felt he could ask more. It was a touchy subject, but Kurt was as relaxed as he’d ever seen him.

“What school were you at before?”

“NYADA. It’s small and prestigious. Focuses on dance, singing and performance.”

Alexi nodded. “So, it prepares you to perform in musical theatre?” He tried to picture Kurt dressed as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, dancing across a stage dressed as a candlestick, singing ‘Be Our Guest’. It was so much different than his raunchy, confident stripper persona Alexi had seen on the stage here.

Kurt nodded, looking away.

“You know, sometimes what we want changes with time, as we experience more of the bigger world. Dreams change,” Alexi said distractedly. Other people were sitting in the assembled chairs, and Alexi felt a twinge of interest when a man pulled a guitar from its case. Someone else was carrying out a microphone stand. 

Kurt gave him a long, thorough perusal. “Are you remembering things, Alexi?”

Shrugging one shoulder, Alexi considered how to answer. “I’m finding things are sometimes flowing out when I don’t think about them. Like see that billboard and knowing about Harry Potter.”

Live music started without any elaborate introduction. It was an African American woman singing, and a white man with his hair pulled back into a low ponytail playing acoustic guitar. They did pared down covers of popular songs, slowing them down. Making you aware of the beauty of the lyrics.

 _There is freedom within, there is freedom without_  
_Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup_  
_There's a battle ahead, many battles are lost_  
_But you'll never see the end of the road_  
_While you're traveling with me_

 _Hey now, hey now_  
_Don't dream it's over_  
_Hey now, hey now_  
_When the world comes in_  
_They come, they come_  
_To build a wall between us_  
_We know they won't win..._

Kurt’s hand was on his arm, giving it a shake. “Alexi?”

_Wrong name...wrong name..._

Blinking hard, Alexi felt like everything was suddenly too bright. He lifted his hands to cover his face, breathing fast. 

He felt an arm encircle him, and he turned towards it, just needing the comfort of those arms. Warmth, a soothing voice, a scent of shampoo that was somehow familiar.

“It’s OK, it’s OK...”

Gradually, his breathing slowed, and Alexi opened his eyes. He was being held tight by Kurt, his face against his neck. Kurt’s hands were stroking his back in a calming motion. 

He pulled back, feeling embarrassed. “Um, sorry, I’m....ah,” he stammered. Not knowing what had just happened.

Kurt pressed a glass of cold water into his hands and shifted back to his chair, giving Alexi some space. His eyes still looked concerned though. “Are you feeling alright? You went into a bit of a trance or something there.”

Gulping down the water to quench his parched throat, Alexi set down the glass. He felt wrung out, like he had run miles, and his head throbbed with the beginnings of a bad headache. 

Kurt didn’t press for more. He simply put a supporting arm around Alexi, helping him to stand. “Let’s go home.”

...

**-MONDAY NIGHT-**

It was dark when he woke up in bed later, feeling groggy but better. How had they gotten back to the apartment? Alexi had snippets of memory of being in a cab with Kurt. Was that from this afternoon, or that first night?

Lifting a hand to his head, Alexi pressed against the bump there. It wasn’t as swollen as before, and his headache had faded. 

“Do you want another pain reliever?” Kurt asked. He was standing at the end of the bed. 

“No,” Alexi said softly, and moved some pillows to raise his head. “What happened earlier?”

Kurt sat down on the other side of the bed, on top of the covers, leaning against the headboard. “I’m not sure. You seemed to be doing OK. We walked around the exhibits, listened to that Harry Potter talk, and then were just having a coffee in the garden. But then you were just staring at the guitar player and seemed unnaturally still. I called your name, and you didn’t even seem to hear me.”

Alexi couldn’t remember that, except for the guitar part. “My head was really hurting.”

“Maybe it was triggering a memory?” Kurt asked, speaking softly. 

It all just felt foggy and out of reach. Almost able to make something out, but unable to tell what it was. Alexi shook his head slowly, feeling frustrated. 

Kurt got up quickly. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he said, and rushed out of the apartment. He returned a bit breathless, with a guitar case. 

Grinning at Alexi, he unlatched the case and took the instrument out. He set the honey brown guitar over Alexi’s lap. “I borrowed it from a neighbour.”

Feeling irresistibly drawn to it, Alexi moved it into a better position. His fingers instantly moved across the frets, a strong sense memory of doing that before making him almost gasp. 

“Play it,” Kurt cajoled softly, his eyes big. He eased back down on to the bed. 

Taking a big breath, Alexi strummed the strings, loving the rich full sound that came out. His other hand shifted into other chords, and his strumming got faster and faster. 

...

-A/N: Some notes about what they see in this chapter. There are a lot of interesting parts to LA beyond Disney & Universal Studios. 

-Union Station: Opened in 1939, it is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the western United States. “Conceived on a grand scale, Union Station became known as the "Last of the Great Railway Stations" built in the United States. The structure combines Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Streamline Moderne style. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.” (Wikipedia) Today, it serves about 10,000 passengers a day, the 10th busiest in the US. 

-Olvara Street: “Situated in the midst of Downtown in the area where the city was born in 1781, Olvera Street is home to dozens of craft shops, restaurants and businesses with roving troubadours. This pedestrian mall is a block-long narrow, tree-shaded, brick-lined marketplace where some merchants are descended from the original vendors who opened shops when Olvera Street was created in 1930. The exterior facades of the brick buildings enclosing Olvera Street and on the small vendor stands lining its center are colorful piñatas, hanging puppets in white peasant garb, Mexican pottery, serapes, mounted bull horns, and oversized sombreros.” (Wikipedia) 

-Sunset Boulevard Bus: They hop on the #2 bus which goes along Sunset Boulevard from the old downtown area to UCLA. Get to see a wide range of neighbourhoods and a lot of LA. 

-Amoeba Records: An independent music store that got started in 1990 as a backlash against all the huge chain stores. “Amoeba arose out of that community of music lovers that wanted a better place for music than a corporate chain store.” [Link. ](https://www.amoeba.com/)

-Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles: “A Los Angeles-based soul food restaurant chain founded by Herb Hudson in 1975. It is best known, as the name states, for serving chicken and waffles, both together and separately, although they do offer more traditional menu items as well. The Los Angeles Times refers to Roscoe's as "such an L.A. institution that people don't even question the strange combo anymore." The New York Times refers to it as a "beloved soul food chain." The original location in Hollywood remains popular with celebrities.” (Wikipedia). [Link. ](https://www.roscoeschickenandwaffles.com/our-story)

-The Getty Centre: This museum has been located in the Brentwood neighbourhood of LA, near UCLA, since 1997, and features Western art from the Middle Ages to the present. It consists of several buildings nestled into the hills, overlooking the city from it’s impressive gardens. The older location in Malibu, The Getty Villa, displays art from Ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. They get over 2 million visitors a year and have great works of art by Renoir, Rubens, Monet, Manet and Turner. 

-Intro to the Care of Magical Creatures: The Bestiary and Harry Potter: “Did you know that many of the best-known beasts that Harry and his friends encounter—the screaming mandrake, the pure unicorn, the fierce hippogriff, and the terrifying dragon—all appear in medieval bestiaries, a kind of encyclopedia of animals?” In conjunction with the exhibit ‘Book of Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World’ that The Getty Center has from May - August 2019, the curators are are giving this free talk on July 14 about the medieval origins of the Harry Potter creatures. [Current Exhibitions. ](https://www.getty.edu/visit/exhibitions/index.html#getty-center)

-Van Gogh Irises: It was bought in 1990 by The Getty and is “currently (as of 2012) tenth on the inflation-adjusted list of most expensive paintings ever sold and in 25th place if the effects of inflation are ignored.” It is one of the paintings he made at the Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, in the last year before his death in 1890. “He called painting ‘the lightning conductor for my illness’ because he felt that he could keep himself from going insane by continuing to paint.” (Wikipedia). [Link here. ](http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/826/vincent-van-gogh-irises-dutch-1889/)

-Don’t Dream It’s Over: The ‘80s Australian rock band, Crowded House, had this song as their biggest international hit. [Video.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J9gKyRmic20)


	4. Tuesday

**-TUESDAY MORNING-**

Alexi woke up to the smell of coffee and breakfast. “Mmmmm...”. After a quick trip to the washroom, he came into the kitchen. 

Kurt was already putting things on the little cafe table, waving for him to sit down. “Just about ready.” He came back with heaping plates of eggs scrambled with vegetables, topped with melted cheddar, and a side of sourdough toast. 

They dug in hungrily, and Kurt turned the TV on to a news channel. It felt nice, normal, eating together like this. Comfortable enough together to not feel the need to talk constantly. 

There was still no news about a missing man. Was L.A. simply too big a city for it to get on the news? It probably wasn’t that uncommon. Maybe people went missing all the time. Came to the coast to work in the entertainment industry, went home without any big fanfare when they gave up their Hollywood dream and headed back to to their home state. 

It went to commercial and Alexi groaned as the voiceover started. **_“In a world where dinosaurs still exist, only paleontologist Rex Matthews...”_** Luckily he was done eating, so he grabbed their empty dishes and carried them over to the sink. “So, what’s the plan today, Kurt?”

Chuckling, Kurt put the condiments back into the fridge. “You really hate Rex Matthews, don’t you?”

Alexi started washing the dishes. “Not just that character. I detest everything Cooper Anderson has done.” 

“I don’t get it. Sure, he’s maybe not the best actor, but he makes up for it in looks. Those blue eyes, that square chin, that smile,” Kurt gushed, smirking Alexi’s way. 

Rolling his eyes, Alexi scrubbed at the fry pan a little harder than he needed to. “What I don’t get is why that would be such a big thing for you. You work with strippers! Gorgeous men other men pay good money to see, you are around practically everyday for free!”

Kurt shrugged, leaning back against the counter to watch Alexi work. “I think it’s because when I was a closeted gay teen in Ohio, just figuring out who I was and what I liked, his credit score commercials were on all the time. I even had the jingle as my ring tone for a little bit.”

Alexi wrinkled his face up at that. “And he still keeps doing those damn commercials, even though he’s got the Rex Matthews series and there’s talk of him being the next James Bond.”

“Mmmmmmm really? He’d be hot in that role. Too bad he’s straight,” Kurt said, grabbing a wet cloth to wipe down the table and countertops. 

Shaking his head, Alexi finished rinsing the last dish, and put it on the rack to dry. “Again, why hanker after a straight, unavailable movie star when you have gay, hot men at work?”

Kurt scoffed. “Two reasons. The first being an old saying my father used tell me; ‘Don’t shit where you eat’.”

Laughter burst out of Alexi, and it took a minute until he calmed down, still grinning at Kurt. “And the second one?”

“Look, why don’t you come down to the club with me this afternoon? You can properly meet Angela and most of the guys. Then you will know why,” Kurt said, with a mysterious smirk. “Plus, we need to copy my keys so you can come and go from the apartment on your own. You are feeling too good now to stay inside when I’m working.”

It was already almost noon, since Kurt kept late hours. They showered and got dressed in casual clothes. Alexi found he was getting used to his blue hair and styling it curly. It wasn’t as jarring every time he saw himself in a mirror. 

He had been curious about the club since Kurt mentioned so casually that he was a stripper. It didn’t seem to really be Kurt’s style, since he wasn’t deeply tanned and ripped. 

It was a small club, the outside painted black with neon tubing tracing along the roofline, windows and doorway. The windows had posters of upcoming special events, like visits from porn stars and body-builder champions. Kurt walked past it, taking Alexi to the back entrance in the alley. “The staff always come and go from here. That’s how I saw you on Friday.”

He stopped at a closed door in the back hallway and knocked softly. “Come in,” a female voice called out. 

Kurt grinned at Alexi, taking his hand to pull him inside. It was a small office, with a desk, computer and filing cabinet. A huge bulletin board covered one wall, filled with pieces of paper, pictures and flyers. The most shocking thing was the color. Fuchsia pink was everywhere; the walls, the plush rug on the floor, and drapes covering the windows. 

There were two black club chairs in front of the desk, and Kurt pulled Alexi over to them, sinking down with a sigh. “OK, Angela, he’s here. You can quit bugging me every two hours, checking up on him.”

Behind the large desk was a petite blond woman in her mid-fifties. She was wearing a red dress that showed off a very toned body, her breasts a little too perfect to be natural. Her face was made-up well, except a little heavy on the dark eyeliner and shadow. 

She sprang up, running around the desk to lean over, giving Alexi an enthusiastic hug. “I guess we are calling you ‘Alexi’, right? Welcome!”

He managed a polite smile as the woman settled back down. “Thanks for helping me when I was injured.”

“He’s so handsome!” Angela chirped, turning to grin at Kurt. 

Kurt rolled his eyes at her. “Yes, Angela,” he said, turning towards Alexi. “She’s always had a soft spot for attractive gay men. Queen of the fag hags.”

Angela didn’t seem offended at the title, so Alexi just nodded, looking around the office. “This is quite the club. Do you own it?”

“No, but an old client of mine thought it was a good investment. He let me design it and run it, and we’ve been in the black since we opened,” Angela explained, seeming very proud of her work.

“Is his name ‘Alex Owen’?” Alexi asked, referring to the neon name on the front of the club.

Kurt chuckled, placing a hand on his forearm. “One thing you need to know about Angela is that her favorite movie of all time is ‘Flashdance’. Alex Owen is the name of Jennifer Beals’ character in that movie.”

“And the show each night is inspired by the dancing from that movie. Erotic, but well choreographed. Costumes, simple set pieces, lighting,” Angela gushed, her passion for her work bubbling over.

Kurt gave her a fond smile, before looking back at Alexi. “The bar is open 4pm to 4 am. The big show starts at 11 pm, 6 dancers a night.”

“And it’s busy? People pay to come out?” Alexi was amazed. In this era of the Internet, why would people leave the comfort of their own homes to see men strip?

Angela nodded. “This is erotic theatre. Fantasy. People like the energy of the crowd, being part of something bigger.”

Kurt shrugged. “Plus the food is pretty good and they have drink specials on weeknights. It’s really just a place for gay men to hang out.” 

“But enough about the club. How are you feeling, Alexi?” Angela asked, her big hazel eyes full of concern.

Raising a hand, Alexi probed at the lump on his head. It was still sore, but had gone down a lot in size. “Much better. My headache is gone, and some memories are coming back.”

“That’s great! Any idea about your name, or why you got attacked?”

Alexi shook his head, looking down at the shocking pink carpet. 

“We know he comes from a wealthy family, and went to a private school. So, he’s probably a professional of some sort. He likes Harry Potter and remembers a fair bit about pop culture. And he plays guitar very well,” Kurt told Angela, giving Alexi’s arm a light squeeze.

Angela raised her eyebrows at the information, and mulled it over. “There must be someone out there worried sick about you. Family, friends, workmates, spouse?”

Alexi nodded. “Yes, although I’m pretty sure I’m not married. I suppose I might have a boyfriend.”

Kurt pulled his hand away. “We saw those thugs at a restaurant Sunday night, but they didn’t recognize us.”

“Thanks to my idea about the disguise!” Angela said proudly. 

“Yes, Angela,” Kurt said, getting up. “Well, I’m going to give Alexi the tour and he might hang out here in the afternoons when I’m rehearsing.”

“Sure. No problem,” Angela said, standing to guide them out. “And he’s welcome to come to the shows anytime. He can sit at my table.”

“Oh, um, yeah...thanks,” Kurt said, fumbling a little. He took Alexi by the hand to lead him out. 

“Thanks,” Alexi said quickly as they left.

“Now don’t talk much, right? The guys think you are Russian and don’t know much English,” Kurt whispered, his arm coming around Alexi’s waist. 

Sighing. Alexi nodded. Keeping track of all these lies was giving him a headache. At least Angela knew the true story. 

Kurt led him through another door. It was a large dressing room, with racks of costumes and make-up stations haphazardly positioned everywhere. “Sorry it’s such a mess back here.”

Even though he’d only known Kurt a short time, Alexi could recognize his style all over his station. There was a mirror surrounded by lights, with pictures of Lady GaGa, David Bowie and Elliott ‘Starchild’ Gilbert tucked into the frame. All sorts of glam rock artists. His makeup was in a tidy caddy, perfectly organized. A rack of costumes hung conveniently close. 

Alexi sat on the director’s chair, looking up at Kurt. He gave a little smile, trying to look like an adoring new husband. It wasn’t too hard, as Kurt was a strikingly handsome man. He found the contrast between his fair skin, blue eyes and dark hair a refreshing change from all the overly tanned people of LA. 

Kurt seemed slightly uncomfortable, knowing everyone was watching, curious about them. He bent down, giving Alexi a light kiss, resting his hand on his shoulder. 

Alexi closed his eyes, the quick touch seeming to zing through him, making his breath catch and his heart race. He could feel the warmth of Kurt’s hand through the thin fabric of his black shirt. 

Somebody wolf-whistled, and that got everyone laughing. Soon, they were surrounded by all the strippers, smiling and patting them in the back, congratulating them on their marriage. Alexi smiled and nodded at them, letting Kurt do the talking. 

“Kurt! Married! So many men are going to be crying over that!  
“You better not wear that ring onstage! Your fans will be heartbroken!”  
“I’m heartbroken!”  
“What did you do, Alexi, to land him?”  
“Maybe Kurt has a childhood thing for Cookie Monster?”

That last comment made Kurt laugh, looking down at Alexi affectionately. He ran a hand through his curls, the hair shiny and healthy, but very, very blue. “My Cookie Monster,” Kurt said in a warm tone, holding Alexi’s eyes as he bent down to give him a real kiss. Deep, firm, delicious. Kurt’s hand in his hair, his mouth opening to tease Alexi with a few flicks of his tongue. 

This made all the guys hoot and clap in approval. It was quite the show.

“Save some for the honeymoon!”  
“Get a room!”

By the time Kurt lifted his head, they were both a bit breathless. He chuckled softly, and the sound went right through Alexi. _Fuck._

The teasing and joking went on, with the guys drifting back to their own stations but still calling out jokes and comments. Kurt took it well; laughing and snarking back at them in a good-natured way. He was obviously well respected by everyone. 

“I hope you didn’t mind that. It’s just to establish us as a couple in their eyes,” Kurt dipped down to whisper in Alexi’s ear, his warm breath tickling over his sensitized skin. Between that and the kiss, Alexi realized that his body had reacted. He crossed his legs; cursing the tight jeans Kurt had given him to wear. 

“It’s fine,” Alexi whispered back. 

Kurt busied himself with his clothing rack, moving a few items to the end after long consideration. It gave Alexi a chance to breathe, and casually watch the other strippers.

Obviously, they were all handsome men with great bodies, and not shy about showing them. Most men wear dressed in just their underwear; often elaborate G-strings or sparkly briefs in bold colors. They were rubbing lotion or oil over their skin, and some were using glitter. Make-up and elaborate hairstyles were also common. 

“I thought the shows were just at night,” Alexi said softly to Kurt, looking at the various men who were dressed in costumes already. 

Kurt nodded, holding some black pants. “The big show, yes. The rest of the day is more regular stripper acts, with a new guy on every half hour. There’s always three guys on stage, pole dancing, that type of thing.”

“You do that too?” Alexi asked, so curious about how Kurt fit into this world. 

“No. Angela lets the ten best dancers decide what they want to do. We do at least five shows a week, getting a cut of the cover charge. Then we can do as much stage work and private dances as the schedule allows. I don’t do any regular stage work.” Kurt explained, digging through a box of accessories. 

Alexi’s eyebrows rose. “But you do private...?”

Kurt gave him a half-smile. “Not much. I charge a lot.”

“Um, don’t the customers get a little handsy? Want more than a dance?” The thought of some dirty, old man drooling all over Kurt sickened him. 

Chuckling, Kurt put a hand on his shoulder. “I thought like you did when Angela suggested I work here. Actually, the clubs in LA are pretty restricted. We serve alcohol, so we can’t be fully nude. Customers have to be six feet away from us when we are on stage, and can’t give us tips directly.”

“So, no tucking twenties into your G-string?” Alexi said, half-joking. Half-fearing the answer. 

“Never. I mostly just get my cut of the cover. Angela gives us a higher cut whenever we are sold out,” Kurt explained, not seeming to mind the questions. 

“And the private shows...?” Alexi has to ask, curiosity burning inside him. 

Kurt shrugged. “The club has a few private rooms. Everyone sets their own rules and prices for what goes on. Generally speaking, it’s lap dances, with the clothes staying on and the customer not allowed to touch the dancer. To do more is against the law, and there are undercover cops who will occasionally bust a dancer.”

Alexi grabbed Kurt’s hand, making him meet his eyes. “Are you safe? Being alone with some horny client?”

Kurt nodded, looking away. “I’m never alone with them. I have security with me.”

Satisfied for now, Alexi left Kurt to get his costume ready for that evening, and looked around at the other strippers. They were all very good looking, and most were very muscular. They must spend hours in the gym everyday. 

“Come on,” Kurt eventually said, pulling Alexi out of his perusal. “I’ll show you the stage.”

Leading him through the cluttered back room area, it was strange to suddenly be looking out over a stage. It was wide, and had a runway extension out into the audience. Stripper poles were positioned at the end of the runway and at each side of the stage. The rest of the room was dark, but Alexi could make out small tables surrounded by chairs, with a few platforms so the seats near the back were elevated for a better view. It could probably seat a couple hundred people. 

Kurt played with a few switches on a panel, and neon tube lighting flickered on with a low hum. They were fuchsia, magenta and turquoise, outlining the stage and running around the room. “Ever tried a stripper pole?”

Alexi looked at him to see if he was joking, but saw he wasn’t. “Um, no...not that I can remember.” 

Chuckling, Kurt ambled forward. “Well, since everything older than three days ago is fuzzy, I better teach you the basics.”

Encouraging Alexi to one end of the stage, Kurt took the other end, quickly going over how to grip the pole, and leaning outwards with the spin. After about fifteen minutes, Alexi was experimenting with a few moves. 

Kurt chuckled, watching as he crashed into the pole when he moved too fast, or slid downwards, bumping on to the floor when his grip slipped. “It takes a lot of practice,” Kurt said, executing a perfect V-spin, his legs held out straight on each side of the pole. 

Getting up, feeling a bit winded and bruised, Alexi rubbed his sore butt. “I think I’ll leave this to the professionals.”

“Well, I’m just doing an old routine tonight, so I’m going to run through it a couple times. Do you mind waiting while I rehearse? Or you can go hang out with Angela if you like,” Kurt asked, taking off his hoody. He was wearing yoga pants and a black tank top, showing that he did have pretty good definition in his shoulders and arms. 

Mouth feeling suddenly dry, Alexi got off the stage and sat in one of the audience chairs. “No, please go ahead,” he managed to eventually say, trying to sound normal.

Inside, his heart was beating faster. Would Kurt actually strip? Right down to his underwear? And it was OK got Alexi to look his fill? He crossed his legs, wishing he had a coat or something to drape over his lap. He could already feel the beginnings of an erection, despite taking care of himself in the shower that morning. 

Kurt hooked his phone up to the stereo system, and hit play. Alexi was surprised to hear the beat of an old Madonna song.

Kurt stood in the middle of the stage, moving to the music, and even without a costume or lighting, Alexi was entranced by his motions. He swayed like a sapling caught in a windstorm, his body bending and curling. His eyes were drawn to the long, slim lines of his body, the flexibility in his back, and the extension of his arms. 

_Wanting, needing, waiting_  
_For you to justify my love_  
_Yearning, burning_  
_For you to justify my love_

He had moved closer to one of the poles, using it to pose and gyrate against, rolling his body with fluid grace, the moves becoming more sexual. Alexi could feel Kurt’s need, his want of a partner. Every move designed to beguile the men who would be watching. 

It was an intoxicating mix of smooth contemporary dance, yoga poses, and pole dancing, every move perfect and sensual. He had moved seamlessly to each of the poles, working against them, near them. 

Alexi applauded when the music ended. “Wow, Kurt. That was amazing,” he said, feeling a bit breathless. 

Kurt was breathing a bit faster as well, the shine of sweat on his skin. He grabbed a nearby towel to dab at his face and took a few sips of water from a bottle. “Thanks. I’m going to run through it a couple more times. Some of my transitions weren’t flowing that well.”

 _Oh lord, help me._ Alexi jumped up, thankful that the audience area wasn’t brightly lit. “OK, go ahead. I just need to use the washroom.”

He saw the neon signage, and went to the customers’ washroom. It was very clean, since the club wasn’t open yet, and empty. Alexi sighed in relief, going into one of the stalls. 

...

Kurt rehearsed until he felt comfortable with his routine. It was one he did about once a month, part of his repertoire. Developing acts took time; picking out the right music, choreographing the moves, making the costumes, and sometimes getting simple set pieces and props. He worked at launching a new one each Saturday, giving his fans something new. It kept him challenged.

He turned the lights back off, and looked around for Alexi. He recalled seeing him heading off to the washroom, so he settled at one of the customer tables in the darkened club, sipping his water and playing with his phone, as he waited for him to return.

Going into his twitter, he posted a few lines. _Come out tonight to Alex Owen’s! I’m indulging all the requests for a certain routine, performed to one of The Material Girl’s classics._ It was enough to ensure he’d have lots of his core fans come out. 

Sebastian strolled over, and then sat on Kurt’s table, almost turning over his water bottle. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I’m a little confused.” 

Kurt felt his stomach clench, partly out of irritation from being cornered by Sebastian alone, and partly due to him being one of the smarter strippers. He’d be hard to convince. “What?” he replied, trying to hide all this. 

“Angela said Alexi was from Russia and you are marrying him to get a green card, for money. How did that happen? You answered an ad on Craig’s List?” Sebastian sprawled out, displaying his body. 

Wanting to roll his eyes but resisting, Kurt shook his head. “You’ve probably heard that gays aren’t being treated so well in Russia, right?” 

Sebastian nodded slowly, his smirk still in place.

“Well, Alexi’s parents accept him as he is, but knew he wouldn’t be able to have a good life there. They are rich enough to get him over here,” Kurt said, a little impressed with himself. He was starting to believe all these stories. 

Scoffing, Sebastian changed to another pose, sitting up a little straighter, one arm around his bent leg, showing off the muscles in his arm. “So, they somehow got him out of Russia and found him an American husband for his citizenship. All from - oh, where did you say they were from?” 

Kurt thought fast. Moscow seemed too obvious. Odessa? St. Petersburg? Was that the right name for that city now? It had been changed a few times. “Um, near Sochi.” Somehow, the name of the city that had hosted the Winter Olympics in Russia came to mind. 

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, no doubt noticing Kurt’s fumble. “How did they do all that?” 

Vague details were best here. Kurt shrugged. “Frankly, I don’t know all the facts. I think there are people who will do any kind of service for a price. Over here, Angela knew somebody who knew somebody.” 

“So, he had to get out of Russia, which isn’t easy to do, travel to the US, and marry you? He’s here illegally and you are committing what, fraud?, by faking this marriage with him? They must be paying you a lot to put yourself at such risk,” Sebastian said, giving a concerned expression Kurt knew was 100% fake. 

Kurt could only shrug again. “I’ve been wanting to get back to New York for ages. I don’t want to be too old to finish my degree and get established out there. Getting away from people like you will just be a bonus.” 

He probably shouldn’t have said the last part. Sebastian immediately jumped to his feet, affronted. He hated that Kurt wasn’t interested in him at all, even for a hook-up. Everyone else in the gay community drooled at the sight of him. He was considered tall, gorgeous and funny in a snarky way. 

“Hmmm, I wonder how much it’s worth to you to keep me from calling ICE?” Sebastian drawled, his conniving look back. 

“You wouldn’t do that,” Kurt said, glaring at the other stripper, hating him more than ever. 

Sebastian shrugged a shoulder elegantly. “I’m sure you could convince me not to.” He spun away, strutting away like he was on stage. 

Kurt scoffed to himself. Had Sebastian basically tried to blackmail Kurt into sex to keep him from telling the government about Alexi? This was becoming more and more of a mess. 

... 

Alexi was splashing water on his face, trying to cool down. There was no way he was going to come later at night, to watch Kurt dance that in front of a crowd. Likely dressed to the nines and taking it all off. 

By the time he came out, the music and lights were turned off. Kurt waved at him, playing on his phone. “Ready to go?” he asked, sounding tired. 

“Yeah,” Alexi replied, and followed Kurt out the back door. Grateful that he hadn’t teased Alexi for how long he’d been in the washroom for. Had he noticed, or had he been caught up in his own performance? Surely he knew by now how fucking hot he was, and what effect he had on men. 

The thought was a bit sobering. Did Kurt have fans constantly after him? Propositioning him? Were his boyfriends jealous? Did they act weird about his career? How did they handle sharing him like that, even if the customers didn’t get to touch? 

“So, I have an old phone I thought we could activate for you. Just something basic so you can text and talk locally,” Kurt said, digging around in his messenger bag. He seemed a bit distracted.

Alexi scoffed. “I only know you.”

Kurt smiled. “Exactly. This way we can message each other when we’re apart. Plus you know Angela now too.”

They continued down the street, discussing the phone, and Alexi felt good. Despite all the men who got to see Kurt as a stripper, he was the one who Kurt was choosing to spend his free time with. 

...

-A/N: Lots of notes for this chapter! Thx for reading!

-Cooper Anderson’s Credit Score Commercial: Matt Bomer’s first appearance on Glee as Blaine’s older brother. [Clip here. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4cIPrAVMvSw)

-Flashdance: “Alex Owens is a female dynamo: steel worker by day, exotic dancer by night. Her dream is to get into a real dance company, though, and with encouragement from her boss/boyfriend, she may get her chance.” (IMDB). This 1983 classic cheesy dance movie starred Jennifer Beals and featured Irene Cara’s song ‘What a feeling!’ [Trailer here. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eEKWN-ZUgM8)

-Cookie Monster: “A Muppet on the long-running children's television show Sesame Street. He is best known for his voracious appetite and his famous eating phrases, such as "Me want cookie!", "Me eat cookie!" (or simply "COOKIE!"), and "Om nom nom nom" (said through a mouth full of food),” and “his characteristic navy blue fur and "googly eyes." (Wikipedia) [Clip here. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I5e6ftNpGsU)

-Los Angeles Strip Clubs: Every city has it’s own rules and regulations around strip clubs. I don’t know tons about it, but it looks like LA is putting lots of restrictions on the businesses to make it less lucrative and to discourage prostitution. If the strippers go fully nude, alcohol can’t be served, so there is often an affiliated ‘lounge’ next door. If alcohol is sold, the strippers can’t show their junk & have to keep a certain distance from customers (no direct tipping). [2014 News clip here. ](https://abc7.com/news/proposed-ban-on-valley-adult-business-permits/57715/)

-Alex Owen’s Club: This is a totally fictional club that specializes in erotic dancing for gay/bi/pan men. I haven’t specified which area of LA it is in. I’d like it in a neighbourhood that is a bit run down, maybe on the fringes of West Hollywood. They charge a cover as they provide stripper entertainment, with a higher cover after 10 pm since that’s when the premium strippers like Kurt and Sebastian perform. The acts are a bit like the ones in the Flashdance trailer, often more about erotic dancing than just pure stripping.

-Kurt Hummel on stripper pole: In the Frenemies episode (5.9), Adam Lambert + Chris Colfer sing The Darkness’ song ‘I Believe in a Thing called Love’. Check out around 2 min & 3 min mark, where Chris is working the pole. [Clip.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EnjPCKzOjeA)

-Pole dancing: 3 basic steps, including the V-spin. [Clip.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QP2m1bwax7A)

-Justify My Love: “It was released on October 30, 1990, by Sire Records as the lead single from The Immaculate Collection. The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna.“. The video, which contained imagery of sadomasochism, voyeurism, and bisexuality, caused controversy worldwide, due to its explicit sexual images, and was subsequently banned from MTV and other TV networks. (Wikipedia). I can picture Kurt dancing & dressed like that guy in the black body suit, very bendy and with pointy hand motions, combined with some sexy pole work. [Clip.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Np_Y740aReI)

-Gays in Russia: “The Russian federal law "for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values", also known in English-language media as the "gay propaganda law"and the "anti-gay law" is a bill that was unanimously approved by the State Duma on 11 June 2013.” “The legislation reportedly led to an increase in violence against LGBT people in Russia. Russian LGBT Network chairman Igor Kochetkov argued that the law "[has] essentially legalised violence against LGBT people, because these groups of hooligans justify their actions with these laws," supported by their belief that gays and lesbians are "not valued as a social group" by the federal government.” (Wikipedia). [2014 CNN clip here. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1x5H_dT2iJ0)

-ICE: “The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a law enforcement agency of the federal government of the United States tasked to enforce the immigration laws of the United States and to investigate criminal and terrorist activity of transnational organizations and aliens within the United States.” (Wikipedia). They have 20,000 employees with over 400 offices all over the USA, including detention and deportation officers to identify, arrest, and remove immigrants who violate U.S. immigration law. [June 2019 clip of President Trump here. ](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/22/president-trump-delays-nationwide-ice-raids-aimed-deporting-immigrants/1536497001/)


	5. Wednesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: There is a little scuffle with Sebastian with some non-consent aspects in this chapter. Plus, a brief mention of Finn’s death.

**-WEDNESDAY MORNING-**

The bed shifted, pulling Alexi out of a dream. It instantly faded, but it took a few seconds to remember where he was. Kurt’s apartment.

He felt a little sleepy, and realized it was quite early, the sun barely lighting up the room. Usually they stayed up until after 3 am and slept in until almost noon, since it suited Kurt’s work schedule the best. 

Kurt sighed softly, and rolled over, the bed shifting again. This was probably what had woken Alexi up in the first place. 

Moving a little closer, Alexi laid his hand lightly on Kurt’s shoulder, covered by the bedsheet. “Are you doing OK?”

Kurt looked back at Alexi, and then rolled over with a sigh. “Sorry, I’m just feeling a bit unsettled. Restless.”

Alexi immediately felt concerned, tinged with a bit of guilt. Was it stressing Kurt out having him staying here? Taking up his time? Putting himself in danger? Having to deal with his meltdowns like at the museum on Monday?

Not really sure what to do or say, Alexi went with his gut and moved closer, draping an arm across Kurt’s chest and snuggling along his side. “I’m here for you, Kurt. I’d love to listen if you need to talk.”

Kurt ran his hand lightly down Alexi’s arm in acknowledgment, but was quiet, his face turned towards the window. He didn’t seem bothered by having Alexi so near, so he stayed where he was. 

Unfortunately, his body was starting to react to their closeness, just from Kurt’s warmth and light scent, urging him to nuzzle in more. Push his face against Kurt’s neck and kiss along his pale skin. Push the sheets away and get to know Kurt in a whole new way. 

After so many nights in the same bed, it was getting harder and harder to resist these urges. Aside from physically, he was finding himself more and more drawn to Kurt as a person. He was a kind and generous man, helping Alexi out and never expecting anything in return. Joking with Angela and most of the strippers with true fondness. Expressive and passionate about his art, his work, even though it was in a slightly seedy club. Raising the level of performance in everyone by his talent and drive. 

Pushing aside his own desires, Alexi tried to focus on Kurt. He wasn’t acting normal today. 

Abruptly, Kurt sat up with a huff. “Look, there’s something on my mind, and I need to get away for a bit to think. You can come with me if you like, as long as you can be quiet. Or just stay here. Sleep in some more.”

A bit alarmed, Alexi was tempted to hug Kurt from behind, push him into talking about what was bothering him. But that clearly wasn’t what Kurt wanted right now. He could be a quiet support for him too. “I’ll come along.”

Nodding, Kurt got out of bed. He was ready to go quicker than Alexi had ever seen so far, wearing loose jeans, a bulky sweater under a windbreaker, and a worn Buckeyes baseball cap covering his unstyled hair. Alexi slipped into similar clothes. 

They were quiet as they went out on the street, and soon were on a bus. Alexi was tempted to talk with Kurt more, but sensed it was best to leave him be. Just sitting at his side. 

Alexi watched the people getting on and off the bus, and took in the early traffic. Rush hour hadn’t really started yet. Everyone looked a little sleepy, not fully embracing the day yet, and he welcomed the quieter version of this crowded city. 

Kurt got up, and Alexi followed him off the bus after about an hour’s ride. He was stunned to see the Ferris wheel and the beach, recognizing it as the Santa Monica Pier. Did he remember it from being here before, or just from a movie? 

Jarring himself out of these thoughts, he saw that Kurt was heading across the sand already, heading straight for the water. He followed, finding the thick sand a bit of an adjustment to walk on, his feet shifting beneath him. 

There was a public bench closer to the water, and Kurt sat down, untying his sneakers and rolling the bottom of his jeans up to his knees. His actions were quick, and Alexi got the feeling he had done this many times before. He copied the actions. 

The wide, long beach was mostly empty this time of day. Some people were strolling along, dressed like they were, in sweaters and windbreakers. Some people were jogging along the wet sand, wearing lighter workout clothing. There were a few dogs and children, but overall it was quiet, aside from the caw of sea gulls. They swooped in lazy circles, occasionally landing and peering about. 

Kurt continued on his trek, only stopping when he was at the edge of the waves. The ocean was calm at this time of day, lapping around his ankles with frothy waves. He took some deep breaths, and Alexi could see him relaxing, the tension in his back finally uncoiling. Looking out west, over the seemingly endless waves.

The water was cool against his feet, but not too bad. The sky was blue with just a faint haze of high clouds, and the gentle morning sun’s warmth compensated. They walked slowly along the wet sand, letting the waves slip along their lower legs. 

Alexi simply took it in, and could understand why Kurt had wanted to come here. Later in the day, this beach would be packed with tourists. Chaotic and hot. But right now, it was simply beautiful and peaceful. 

Eventually, Kurt led them over to a low stone wall, and they sat down, still looking out over the ocean. They dug their toes into the soft sand, sticking to their wet feet. 

“I never thought of myself as a beach type of guy,” Kurt finally said, looking downwards. “I grew up in Ohio and dreamed of moving to New York. I always pictured becoming a performer.”

Alexi thought back on what Kurt had mentioned before on this. “You were at a good school, pursuing that dream, but then decided to come out here. Why?”

Kurt sighed, tilting his face up into the sunlight and closing his eyes. “I grew up in a small town and had a really close circle of friends. By graduation, my best friend was Rachel, and she had the Broadway bug even worse than I did. Amazingly talented.”

Nodding, Alexi kept quiet. Just wanting to know more about this man. 

He opened his eyes, blinking out at the water, but not really looking at it. Focussed on the past. “We moved to New York together, struggled at that school, and it was going so well.”

“But then,” Alexi prompted, feeling bad for Kurt. 

“Rachel got her dream role, and she dropped out of school,” Kurt said softly. 

Alexi didn’t understand yet how this affected Kurt. Had he been so linked to this Rachel? “OK...”

“Just when she was starting rehearsals, my step-brother passed away. We were all in the same class, and they had almost gotten married before she moved to New York. We both took it hard.”

Alexi reached over, taking Kurt’s hand. “He must have been so young. That’s awful.”

“We tried to just go on, but his death really affected both of us. Her show opened to great reviews, but it didn’t fill that void inside her,” Kurt said, wiping away some tears from his cheek. “When she was offered a TV pilot, we both dropped everything and came out here. Looking for a fresh start.”

“But it didn’t work out,” Alexi nodded in understanding. 

Kurt looked at him then, his eyes red with tears. “I feel a bit adrift at times. Like Rachel, I was so sure that I wanted to work on Broadway. But seeing how being successful there wasn’t enough for Rachel makes me wonder if it will be enough for me now. Maybe we are just too changed from our naive high school selves.”

Squeezing his hand lightly, Alexi leaned closer so their shoulders touched. “We can’t go back and change the past. All we can do is take stock of who we are now and make choices based on that. Sometimes your dreams change over time.”

“I’m stalling, working and living here. Afraid to move again and fuck up again,” Kurt confessed, dropping his gaze to his feet. 

Daringly, Alexi wrapped an arm around Kurt, drawing him against his side. Needing to comfort him. Give him back some of the warmth and kindness he’d shown him. “You aren’t wasting your time here. You are on stage five nights a week, learning how to connect with the audience, designing choreography.”

Kurt leaned into him, and Alexi hugged him with both arms. His heart was racing, and this man felt so right, being there, pressed against his chest. When he looked at Alexi, his beautiful blue-grey eyes so close, he found himself leaning in. Just wanting to kiss those lips. A real kiss, not in front of anyone. Just for them. 

But Kurt drew back, his eyes wide, and then pulled out of Alexi’s arms. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea, um,...” he fumbled, flushing and looking away. 

Alexi felt embarrassed. This was just what he had been afraid of with Kurt. Mistaking their situation for more than it was. Being around this man so much was confusing him. Was he just feeling lonely and adrift himself, and latching on too strongly to the first man who was kind to him? “No, no, I shouldn’t have...”

Kurt took his hand back. “I like you, Alexi. But I can’t get involved with you when things are so uncertain. You might have a boyfriend back home, worried sick about you. It looks like your memories are coming back, and I bet you will be resuming your old life soon. This will just seem like a strange vacation, a week or two, a blip. You will forget about all this fairly quickly.”

“I don’t think I could feel this attracted to you if I was involved with someone else, Kurt.” Alexi said, but wasn’t surprised when Kurt let go of his hand and stood up. 

Kurt wasn’t meeting his eyes, clearly uncomfortable. “Yes, um, well, how about we get some coffee and a muffin or something? Walk around the pier afterwards?” 

It was obviously an awkward attempt to change the subject. He should just be grateful that Kurt hadn’t run off entirely. “OK,” Alexi said, reaching down to brush the sand off his feet and put his shoes back on. 

**-WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON-**

“We really should get back. I need to rehearse for tonight,” Kurt said, shifting his chair to be in the shade of an umbrella. 

Alexi smiled, feeling relaxed. It had been a great day, wandering around the shops and the amusement park on the pier, and now having some seafood and drinks. He was mostly relieved that they had gotten back to being friends, his earlier move on Kurt forgiven and on its way to being forgotten. 

“You are such a perfectionist, Kurt. Couldn’t you just do one of your easier routines?”

Kurt smiled slowly. “Probably. I like being by the water. Don’t feel like rushing back.”

Looking over his friend, Alexi chuckled to himself. The day had warmed up, but Kurt was making an effort to stay out of the sun. No wonder his skin was so fair. He seemed to like the beach more for the waves and nature, than suntanning and looking for hot men. 

His eyes kept being drawn to something, so Alexi turned to see what it was. “Have you ever been to that aquarium, Kurt?”

Shaking his head, Kurt dipped his drink. “I never even realized there was anything under the pier.”

“It doesn’t look that large. How about we check it out before we head back?” Alexi asked, trying not to grin when he saw the way Kurt’s eyes lit up at the suggestion.

It was a small aquarium, focussed on sea life close to the area, and showing the types of animals who lived around the pier, the tidal pools and along the sandy shoreline. Kurt avidly read every sign and looked intently into the tanks, clearly fascinated. Alexi found he was watching Kurt more than the sea life. 

“When you swim in a lake and you get bit by a snake, that’s a moray,” Alexi sang to Kurt softly, watching a large eel serpentine around the base of a tank. 

Kurt chuckled, and nudged his shoulder against Alexi. “Shhhh...”

There were some families with kids looking at the exhibits. One mother shot a glance their way. 

He read over a sign, and pointed to it. “When it swims lives in a reef, and has two sets of teeth...”

“That’s a moray?” Kurt giggled this time, and the mother glared at them, herding her kids the other direction. 

“Alexi,” Kurt whispered, “we better shut up.”

But Alexi couldn’t resist. He leaned in close to whisper in his ear this time. “When it jumps from the muck and you scream ‘What the Fuck!’, that’s a moray.”

That really got Kurt laughing hard, and Alexi joined in. The jokes were corny, but they got Kurt amused, his eyes sparkling, grinning widely enough to see a dimple on one cheek. It was worth it after his earlier dark mood.

One of the staff headed their way, and Alexi tried to repress his laughter. Kurt was still chuckling.

“You two seem to be enjoying the aquarium,” the young man said, giving a good natured smile. He had short brown hair and was wearing a blue t-shirt with the aquarium’s logo on it, and khaki shorts. He was likely a university student, working here for the summer. 

Kurt gave him a questioning look. “It is true this place was flooded by an octopus?”

He smiled back, and nodded. “Yes! Come over here, and I’ll show you the valve she disassembled.”

Before he knew it, Kurt and the staff member were jabbering away, pointing at a tank. He heard words like ‘venomous saliva’ and ‘hectocotylus’ being thrown about. Inside the tank, Alexi could see a couple octopi, about a foot long when their tentacles were expended. Not large, from what Alexi could recall about them.

Kurt and his new BFF were about to move on to another tank, and he didn’t that he could take another fifteen minutes of this biological babble.

“Um, Kurt,” Alexis said, putting his hand on his shoulder, “Didn’t you say we needed to get back for your rehearsal?”

Kurt flushed a bit, and nodded. “Oh, yeah. Right,” he said, shooting the staff guy an apologetic glance. “We better get going. Thanks for all the info.”

“No problem! Hey, hold on,” the guy said, reaching over to a rack to grab a few brochures, and shoving them at Kurt. “We have a big volunteer program here. We train you and everything, if you are interested. Just ask for Carter.”

Kurt shoved the papers into his messenger bag. “Thanks again,” he said, and grabbed Alexi’s hand to drag him to the exit.

On the ride back, Kurt read over the brochures, and Alexi could tell he was intrigued by Carter’s suggestion. “You should do it. You are a nature nerd, admit it,” Alexi teased gently. 

Shaking his head, Kurt put the papers away. “Nah, I don’t think I’d fit in.”

“Scared khaki shorts guy will fall in love with you?” It was meant as a joke, but it was perhaps a little too soon after Kurt’s rejection that morning. 

Kurt straightened up, his eyes wary. “You don’t think I was flirting with him, did you?”

Alexi sighed, and took Kurt’s hand. “No, no. It was a bad joke. Ignore me.” 

Looking down at their hands, Kurt gave a light squeeze and let go. “I don’t think an aquarium that has so many kids visiting and educational programs would want a gay stripper for a volunteer.”

“Exotic dancer,” Alexi immediately said, but Kurt didn’t respond to it. He simply looked out of the window. 

...

**-WEDNESDAY NIGHT-**

“So, have you thought about our discussion some more?”

 _Fuck._ Kurt had been trying to avoid Sebastian as much as possible, rehearsing when he usually wasn’t around, coming back to the club at night when it was crowded with the other strippers. But somehow Sebastian had cornered Kurt in the back hallway after his performance, and nobody was nearby.

Kurt went for nonchalant. “Not really. I tend to disregard empty threats.”

Suddenly, Sebastian was looming over him, making Kurt very aware of his extra three inches in height. Instinctively, Kurt backed up a couple steps, but the taller man followed him, crowding him against a wall. He could only glare up at him. “Back off, you greasy gym rat.”

Sebastian scoffed, his eyes gleaming as he shifted even closer. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” he murmured, lowering his face to Kurt’s neck to kiss along it. He pressed their bodies together. “Think about it, Kurt. One night with me, and your comrade will be perfectly safe.”

“I’m not a ‘lady’, asswipe. Get off me, now,” Kurt hissed, pushing at Sebastian’s shoulders with both hands. 

Sebastian gave a low chuckle, not being budged at all by this. “You have the strength of a girl, the smooth skin of a girl,” he said softly, running a finger along Kurt’s cheek. “I better check and make sure.”

That was all the warning Kurt got before Sebastian’s hand went south, below the equator. He was only wearing yoga pants, and Sebastian’s large hand cupped him. They both froze, Kurt glaring up at the other stripper.

“Fuck, Kurt! You are huge,” Sebastian purred, his hand rubbing over him now. “I never would have guessed from the costumes you wear onstage. Why the fuck don’t you flaunt this?”

Kurt was mortified, even more so when he felt himself react, getting harder from Sebastian’s touch. It was just his frustrated state lately, being around Alexi more lately. Having such an attractive man nearby, being able to look but not touch. He started really struggling then, kicking and shoving at Sebastian. “Let go of me, horseface!”

Sebastian just chuckled, leaning into Kurt to grind against him, probably feeling that Kurt was reacting, loving how flushed and bothered the normally serene Ice Prince was getting.

...

Alexi glanced at the time on his phone as he came through the backdoor of the club. Kurt should be done his performance by now. Hopefully this would be a nice surprise, meeting him after work. 

He noticed a couple of men in a dark corner of the hallway, and looked away, not wanting to interrupt their intimate moment. But then he heard a mumbled swear, and knew it was Kurt. Knew he didn’t want to be there.

Without thinking about it, Alexi rushed over, looking at the imposing back of the larger man. Having no idea how to get him off Kurt. Out of desperation, he grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanking it hard, almost choking him.

Sebastian coughed, yanking at the tight fabric on his neck, and spun around. And then he chuckled. “Ha! The little commie wants to start a war?”

Alexi glared at the much taller man, his large eyes narrowed into dark slits. “Fuck off,” he sneered, reaching around Sebastian to grab Kurt’s arm and drag him away. Kurt came willingly, clutching against Alexi, shaken by the whole attack. 

“Got your big husband to protect you, Kurt? You his little damsel in distress that needs saving?” Sebastian taunted, his eyes flicking over the two of them. “Although with a cock as huge as yours is, I guess that makes you the top.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, and grabbed Alexi’s hand. “Let’s get away from this fucktard.” 

“You two must not be fucking then, because Alexi wouldn’t be walking that straight.” Sebastian called out after them.

Alexi wrapped an arm around Kurt. “Ignore him.”

...

They got back at the apartment, but with Alexi taking care of Kurt this time. He seemed to cling to Alexi, and was too quiet.

“Kurt, Kurt...” Alexi said softly, easing the man on to the bed. Kurt was still clutching at him, so Alexi sat down beside him, stroking a comforting hand over his back. Looking at him with concern. “Are you OK? Did he hurt you? ”

Kurt sighed, drawing a blanket around himself. “It’s nothing, really.”

But his words were quickly proven wrong. Kurt started to shake in a delayed reaction, and Alexi wrapped him in a tight hug, crooning soothing sounds in his ear. Kurt was crying, clutching at Alexi. It was best to just let him get it all out. The emotional storm passed, and Alexi still held Kurt, wanting to give him whatever he needed. 

“He wasn’t taking no for an answer. I couldn’t get away from him. What could have happened?” Kurt finally said softly, raising his tear-stained face to look at Alexi. His eyes looked even larger that normal, and so blue. “You were there for me,” Kurt said, his eyes flicking down to his lips. 

It was the only warning he got before Kurt kissed him. He stilled in shock, the kiss becoming more intense, and Kurt pushing closer. It was so much like his fantasies, it took a second for Alexi to put a hand on his shoulder to push him back. “Kurt,” he started.

”Shhhh... just kiss me. I know you want me,” Kurt whispered, kissing along his jaw. “Help me forget his touch, please...”

Alexi groaned when Kurt bit him lightly, pushing him back on to the bed, crawling over him. Hot kisses all over, his neck, his lips. Bodies pressing together. Urgent and demanding. “Kurt,” Alexi gasped, “this isn’t right...” 

”Touch me here, please,” Kurt said breathlessly. And he took Alexi’s hand, shifting it between them. 

It was sensory overload. Kurt was kissing him deeply, rocking against his hand, moaning in a way that was making Alexi’s toes curl. His hand moved over him, the temptation too strong, and groaned. “Fuck, Kurt, you are big.” 

“I know,” Kurt said, pushing his face into Alexi’s neck. “It’s a bit much for most guys. I don’t mind bottoming, or doing other stuff.”

That sent dozens of other images into Alexi’s mind, and he moaned at the thoughts. But as much as he wanted it, he knew this wasn’t right. He rolled them over on the bed, so Kurt was on his back. Their chests were still pressed together, but he was lying off to the side so their hips weren’t touching. Alexi kept his face against Kurt’s neck. “I want to, Kurt, but you know we can’t. Not like this,” he said softly.

Kurt went limp against the bed, his breathing gradually slowing down. “I’m sorry,” he eventually said softly.

Shifting to lie on his side, Alexi brushed the hair out of Kurt’s face. “It’s OK.” 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt seemed embarrassed. “Yeah, right. I go from not even letting you kiss me this morning, to crawling all over you tonight. Talk about mixed signals.”

”I know what happened just now wasn’t really you, Kurt. You were just reacting to what Sebastian did to you.” 

”Fuck,” Kurt said, closing his eyes. “How am I going to face going back there tomorrow? Sebastian will no doubt have spread his version of the story to everyone. Told them about...,” he flicked a glance downwards. 

Alexi pulled back, looking at Kurt. “You seem embarrassed about it, but most men would love...,”

“Well, yeah. But it’s not something I asked for, or have any control over,” Kurt interrupted, flushed a little. 

Alexi shrugged, not really sure what to say. “You are gorgeous, and this, this...”

“Isn’t something I want to be known for,” Kurt said, sighing.

“You are a stripper!” Alexi said, unable to get his head around all this.

Kurt sighed. “For now, yes. But I don’t use my real name at the club, and I don’t allow pictures showing my face too clearly. I’m usually wearing a mask or crazy make-up of some kind, especially if I strip right down.”

Alexi thought back to the previous night. “Like yesterday, you didn’t take anything off at all.”

That reaction made Kurt grin. “Exactly. I don’t have a gym rat, tanned body like the other guys, so I need to do a different kind of show. Angela’s audience is more into theatrical sexy stuff anyways. They want some production value, not just an oily guy twerking.”

Alexi rolled on to his back, trying to process it all. “So, you really are planning on moving back to New York to finish your degree? Go all respectable?”

“Yes, so that’s why I am very careful what I do on and off stage.”

“Oh, so that’s why they call you the ‘Ice Prince’. You don’t sleep with many guys, even though you could.”

Kurt nodded, rolling on his side to face Alexi. “When my dad completely embarrassed me by giving me the ‘talk’ at sixteen, he basically said ‘Don't throw yourself around, like you don't matter.’ I wasn’t even that sexual back then, hadn’t even watched porn.”

“So, you are demisexual,” Alexi said, more things about this unusual man making sense.

“There are so many labels out there now. What does that mean?”

Alexi looked down at his lips, wanting to kiss him again. A real kiss. He was being so open and honest, talking about things Alexi knew he didn’t share with many people. He wished he could do the same, but he had no past to delve into.

“It means you are only sexually attracted to people you are strongly, um, emotionally connected to,” Alexi said softly.

Kurt grinned. “And Cooper Anderson. And Bradley Cooper.”

“And Anderson Cooper. He’s a grey fox,” Alexi joked back. Happy that Kurt was back to a more normal mood.

Kurt sat up, running his hands through his messy hair. “I think I’ll take a long, hot shower and go to bed early.” 

Nodding, Alexi got up. “Good idea. Look, I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. You need some space to yourself.”

”Um, actually,” Kurt started, still looking a bit fragile, “would you mind, um, staying? I don’t want to be alone. I promise I won’t, um, try anything.”

Alexi knew it took a lot for Kurt to ask this, and he nodded. “Yes, of course. I’ll take a shower after you.”

Kurt seemed mollified with the plan, and headed off to the bathroom.

Alexi watched him go with a sigh. He sensed this was going to be a long night, but wanted to be there for Kurt. Help him when he needed it. But his good intentions were going to be fighting with his baser urges. Urges that strongly wanted to grab Kurt and continue what they had been doing earlier. Wanted to strip off all his clothes, and kiss and touch Kurt everywhere.

Hardly wanting to admit it to himself, Alexi was fascinated. Was this an old kink that he was just remembering now? Something he had experienced in the past? What would it be like, touching Kurt? Licking and sucking him? Trying to take him all in? No wonder Sebastian had made that crude comment earlier. Alexi would probably have a sore ass and a big grin if Kurt was doing all his husbandly duties. 

Grabbing his towel and pyjamas, Alexi held them in front of himself when Kurt emerged from the steamy bathroom in his short kimono. He went right into the room, closing the door as he started a bath. Soon, he was sinking into the hot water, his hand already stroking. Trembling with need. He came quickly, but after a brief rest, kept going. Knowing he needed to be completely satisfied before getting back into that bed. 

...

-A/N: This story has a lot of twists and turns. Thanks for reading & sticking with it! Sorry Kurt is an emotional mess this chapter. The stress of the situation is getting to him a bit, making him a bit more erratic. 

-Santa Monica Beach: The beach is ‘3.5 miles long and has parks, picnic areas, playgrounds, restrooms, as well as manned lifeguard stations, the original Muscle Beach, bike rentals, concessions, a few hotels, a bike path, and wooden pathways for warm days and beachgoers with disabilities.” (Wikipedia) There is a municipal pier built in 1909 and the shorter, adjoining ‘pleasure pier’ built in 1916 with the amusement park. It has a solar powered ferris wheel and the original 1920s hippodrome carousel. [ 6 min video.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD1NmEyq9-U&app=desktop)

-Moray Eels: They ‘are a family of eels whose members are found worldwide. There are approximately 200 species in 15 genera which are almost exclusively marine’. (Wikipedia) They possess strong, flesh-tearing jaws that are capable of cutting through bone. And, if that wasn’t enough, moray eels have another deadly weapon in their arsenal: the pharyngeal jaw. Pharyngeal jaws are a “second set” of jaws located within moray eels’ throats. When a moray eel captures prey with its primary jaws, it can use its secondary pharyngeal jaws to grab the prey and drag it down into its gullet for easy swallowing. (Roaring Earth). It reminds me of the creature from Alien, seriously! *shudder* [Link. ](https://roaring.earth/moray-eels-jaws)

-Santa Monica Pier Aquarium: ‘Heal the Bay’ operates a small aquarium under the pier, ‘with over 100 local species on exhibit, hands-on activities for small frys, and daily educational programs’. [ Video. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bIlQMA8rQ0)

-Octopus Flood: In 2009, a female California two-spotted octopus swam to the top of her tank, disassembled a valve with her powerful arm, and released at least 200 gallons (757 liters) of seawater into nearby exhibits and offices of the aquarium. The foot-long (0.3-meter) creature remained in her tank and survived her ordeal. But the aquarium's brand-new floors weren't so lucky. [Link. ](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2009/02/curious-octopus-floods-aquarium/) Seriously funny & factual: [ 6 min video about Octopus. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st8-EY71K84&app=desktop)

-Demisexual: “A demisexual is a person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form a strong emotional connection with someone. It's more commonly seen in but by no means confined to romantic relationships.” (Bustle) [ 4 min video.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9C4wUgl-xo)


	6. Thursday

**-THURSDAY MORNING-**

“Mmmmmm....,” Alexi sighed, pressing back into the warmth against him. 

Arms came around him, and it felt so good. Warm breath against his neck. A shiver of awareness that went along his whole body, waking him up further. Was this just a sexy dream? If so, he didn’t want to wake up.

He pushed his hips back, wanting contact, and got it. A hand on his hip, a pleasing hardness brushing against him. He let out a needy whine.

Warm lips pressed quickly against the nape of his neck. “Alexi? Are you awake?”

The whisper sounded sleepy, but with an aroused rasp to it that went through him. _Fuck. It was Kurt. Please don’t stop._

Half afraid if he answered the question the actions would end, Alexi instead pushed his hips back more firmly, wanting better contact. He was rewarded with a groan. It was good to know Kurt was affected by their sleeping arrangements as well. 

Eventually he had to roll over, just wanting to see Kurt. They had to face this. 

Kurt looked wonderful. Sleep rumpled, his face a bit flushed, his eyes glittering with arousal. Leaning in, Alexi kissed him. And felt like cheering when Kurt kissed him back. Sinking into it. Wanting it just as bad.

“We shouldn’t...” Kurt murmured between breathless kisses, but it was a half-hearted protest at best. He still moved his head back for Alexi to kiss down his neck. 

It took a lot, but Alexi forced himself to pause. “Just hands, OK? That’s OK, right?”

There were a few endless seconds, waiting until Kurt nodded in agreement, his hands going down to his own pyjama bottoms, undoing the drawstring. 

Alexi felt like his heart skipped a beat, seeing that, shamelessly pushing his own bottoms down, kicking them off, getting a bit tangled in the sheets. 

Kurt was chuckling at him, his eyes bright, but still drawing him closer. It was messy and a touch frantic, shirts pushed upwards and greedy hands everywhere, kissing until they felt half-drunk on it.

It was hands, but also rocking and pressing together. Too disorganized to pause for lube or a normal position. Not wanting to spoil it with too much rational thought. Letting it just happen.

...

Alexi woke later, not sure how much time had passed. What happened before felt a bit like a fever dream, flashes of memory, all a bit unreal. 

His clothes were mostly off, his tank top shoved up to his armpits, and his pyjamas still hooked around one ankle. Kurt’s hand was draped across a bare patch of his chest. He stroked over that hand, and Kurt turned it over to hold his.

“Um, Good morning?” Alexi said, cautiously. Was this all OK?

Kurt made a pleased sound, and cuddled closer. “Yes, it is.”

“So, um.... before...” Alexi started, feeling confused.

Kurt let out a sound, half chuckle, half sigh. “We got a bit carried away, didn’t we?”

That didn’t sound too bad. “Yes, a bit.” 

“You know, a lot of couples have a list.”

“A list?”

Kurt propped himself up on an elbow, to able to peer down at Alexi. He still looked a bit sleepy. “You know, like a list of celebrities. And if they ever meet them...”

“Meet them?” Alexi had no idea what he was talking about. 

Giving out a slightly irritated huff, Kurt tried again. “They get a pass, you know, to be with the celebrity. And their partner can’t get mad about it. Like Cooper Anderson has been on my list since I started having boyfriends”

“Are you confessing something?” Alexi scowled a bit in confusion.

“No,” Kurt said, dropping back down on to his pillow. “But I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, strange circumstances could be on the list too.”

“Oh,” Alexi nodded, finally getting it. He propped himself in an elbow to look down at Kurt. “Like amnesia. It’s OK to hook up with someone else in the unlikely event of having amnesia.”

“Besides, it’s quite possible you aren’t in a relationship at all, so the point is moot, really...”

Alexi chuckled, dropping down on to his back beside Kurt, and taking his hand. “It sounds you are trying awfully hard to justify what we did before. I don’t feel bad about it, Kurt. Like you just said, there’s a very good chance I’m single. And besides, we hardly did anything. Just hands.”

Kurt gave his hand a squeeze. “Good! Yes!” He let go of his hand, and sat up. “We are very attracted to each other, and a lot of sexual tension had built up. We had to do something to release it. That’s done now.”

“Yes, exactly. It won’t happen again.” Alexi said, sitting up on his side of the bed, and pulling his clothes back into place. “OK if I shower first?”

“Sure,” Kurt said, in an overly bright way, pulling a t-shirt back on.

Alexi escaped to the washroom, tearing off his clothes. They smelled of sex and Kurt and he was far too tempted to sink his nose in and breath deep. Instead, he turned on the shower and jumped in. Didn’t get out until he had masturbated twice, reliving every second he could remember.

...

**-THURSDAY AFTERNOON-**

“What?”

“Huh?”

Alexi looked around. “You were looking at me funny. Is everything OK?”

Kurt blinked a couple times, and then nodded. “Sorry. Sebastian was watching us a little, so I thought I’d do a little besotted gazing.”

Hearing that name made Alexi want to punch something. Preferably a smirky shithead. “Come here,” he whispered instead.

Kurt stepped closer and Alexi slung an arm around his waist to draw him close. “Just stick close to me, OK? I couldn’t stand having something like that happen again.”

Nodding, Kurt ran his fingers through his hair. “You can’t be with me every second, Alexi.”

Clenching his fingers on his hip, Alexi felt good at the way Kurt’s eyes widened slightly in response. “Why not? We are newlyweds.”

Kurt didn’t resist when Alexi pulled him closer, knowing the other strippers were watching. Hoping Sebastian was, or that he’d hear about it later. The kiss started out light, just for show, but he felt it when Kurt gasped a little. Began to kiss him harder. 

“Boys! Free show tonight!”  
“Ice Prince has definitely melted!”  
“Mmmmmm get it...”

The hoots and teasing from the other strippers continued, but Alexi felt lost as Kurt kissed him. Felt the tug of his fingers in his hair, and it sent a shot of pure want through him. 

“Get a room!”

Kurt pulled back, chuckling, at that suggestion. “Mmmm, maybe we should.” He winked at Alexi, and held out his hand.

This was all Kurt’s plan. Alexi was following his lead, since he knew Sebastian and the other strippers the best. Playing up the married couple roles was the best excuse to have Alexi around more. They would both feel better knowing Kurt wouldn’t be caught alone with Sebastian again. 

Alexi took his hand, and let him lead him out into the hallway, chuckling a little. “Where are you taking me?”

Winking, Kurt drew Alexi into Angela’s office and locked the door behind them. He pulled out his phone. “There. I just texted her to give us some time in here.” 

“Whatever shall we do while we wait? Play cards?” Alexi teased, looking at Kurt, still standing so close to him. Wanting nothing more than to kiss him some more. But they had said what happened that morning was just a one-time thing. It wouldn’t happen again.

Kurt smiled slowly, his darkened blue eyes going down to Alexi’s lips with a look of pure hunger. He stepped forward, crowding Alexi against the door. “Well, we have to make some convincing noises, right? In case anybody is listening.”

“Um, yeah. Yeaaaaah...,” Alexi moaned, as Kurt pressed against him, kissing along the base of his neck. 

...

**-THURSDAY NIGHT-**

“Fuck,” Alexi groaned, as Kurt spun around the stripper pole, the whole audience shooting and cheering at the athletic move. 

Angela smirked, leaning in close to be heard above the music. “Yes, he’s fantastic, isn’t he?”

Alexi could only nod, and look back to the stage. He had watched Kurt rehearsing this routine in the afternoon, but it was ten times worse watching him in full costume, make-up and lights. The music thumping along like a fast heart beat. So much more intense.

He had come on stage with the lights quite dim, standing still in the centre, and the lights had come up slowly, as the music started. The audience had cheered on recognizing his costume. He was wearing full length black robes, done up tight to his neck. He appeared bald, with extremely pale skin, his eyebrows covered up as well. Around his eyes was dark shadow with a hint of redness. _Voldemort._

There must have been a fan blowing on him, making the silky fabric of his full robes billow and move. Kurt shifted, tilting a hip outwards, and his robe separated, a slit going all the way up, his whole leg exposed. Dressed in torn fishnets. This got the audience going almost crazy.

The music was slow and sultry, and this sexy Voldemort approached the pole, his long leg wrapping around it, his robes flowing behind him as he did a quick spin. 

_I put a spell on you_  
_Because you're mine_

_You know I love you_  
_I love you_  
_I love you_  
_I love you anyhow_  
_And I don't care if you don't want me_  
_I'm yours right now_

He moved in slow sexy ways, often extending his legs, flashing his pale skin against the stark black of his robes, and Alexi realized Kurt was almost treating the pole like his partner, in a slow Argentine tango.

From his long, full sleeve, he pulled out a green glow stick, the lights still dimmed enough to make the ‘wand’ really show up. He waved it, pointing it with purpose, and the lights on stage flashed brightly green. The audience loved it, cheering as more green flashes appeared with each flick of his wrist. Duelling with an offstage ‘Harry Potter’. A simple effect, but it worked. 

But as the song ended, there were flashes of red, and Voldemort spasming in pain, grabbing hold of the pole for support. His flashes of green becoming shorter, the red flashes longer until he dropped his own wand, body jerking, bathed in red light, and slumping to the floor. The lights dimming.

_Because you're mine_

The music faded away with that last line, and there was a moment of silence before the audience was on it’s feet, thunderous applause making it feel like a crowd of thousands instead of hundreds. 

Alexi rushed out of his seat, and was there when Kurt walked off the stage after taking many bows, backing away from his fans. 

Their gaze met, and Kurt was instantly smirking, tugging at the glue around the cap covering his hair. “What did you think?”

All day, they had been teasing each other and flirting. The rehearsal had been pure torture, Kurt deliberately flaunting his body in a way he didn’t on stage. Similar motions to what he’d just performed, but wearing only a tank top and tight shorts. Showing a lot more skin. 

They had resisted all through dinner, and while Kurt prepared before the show. Alexi hovering near, glaring at anyone who came too close. How could he want Kurt again, so much? 

Now, despite the almost white foundation and slicked back hair, Alexi wanted Kurt. As under his spell as if he’d used magic. 

“Change. Quickly,” Alexi growled, his eyes flashing. 

Kurt’s eyes heated, and he rushed into the back room. His face was scrubbed clean and he was in street clothes in record time.

Alexi clamped a hand around his waist, rushing him towards the back door, passing by Angela who tried to say something. He ignored her, and kept on going.

They made out the whole way back in the taxi, barely making it into the apartment before Alexi was undoing Kurt’s pants, and pushing his shirt off. “Naked. Bed. Now.”

Kurt was there, naked on the sheets, as Alexi kicked off his own shoes and yanked off his jeans. He was so hard he ached.

All the pretence was gone now. Before, they had almost tried to believe the sex had happened by accident. Waking up pressed together. How could they resist? Having to fake intimacy for his coworkers, and getting carried away. This had been Kurt deliberately teasing, seducing, Alexi all day. Choosing this act from his repertoire, knowing Alexi liked Harry Potter. 

Crawling on to the bed, Alexi pushed Kurt’s legs apart, lifting one to kiss him from the ankle upwards. Watching the way Kurt writhed as he kissed along his sensitive inner thigh, the scratch of his whiskers rasping over his skin. Repeating it with his other leg, teasing Kurt as much as he could.

By the time he laid on his stomach between Kurt’s bent legs, they were both breathless. But Alexi was not going to be rushed again. He was going to worship Kurt. Take his time. 

He wrapped his hand around the base of Kurt’s cock, soaking in the visual of how his finger tips barely reached his thumb because it was so thick. Of the inches that extend past his hand, ending in a beautifully tapered tip. Shifting upwards a little, he rubbed it against his lips, an open-mouthed kiss. Tasting him, flicking his eyes up to meet Kurt’s. 

Kurt was breathing hard, his flat stomach rising and falling, his head and shoulders propped up with pillows to the perfect viewing angle. He was splayed out like a prince on the bed, accepting the attentions of his servant. Accepting the idolation. 

His hips twitched at the sensation of Alexi’s tongue flicking against the underside of the head, his most sensitive spot. He grinned with pure mischief, repeating the motion again and again until Kurt closed his eyes, panting with need. He wanted to grab Alexi’s head, and push deep into his mouth, his throat. Use him for his own pleasure, his own release. It would be so good.

But he held back, breathing through the teasing kisses and tongue flicks, letting Alexi learn what he liked the best. Knowing this was going to take a while, and determined to savour and remember every moment. 

Alexi was licking now, long drags of his tongue. Coating him in wetness that he blew on, the coolness tingling against his heat. Making him wet for the slow glide of his hand. Bumping the head against his open, soft lips. Teasing him with occasional kisses and licks. 

“So beautiful,” Alexi murmured, nuzzling his face into his balls. He loved that Kurt was fully waxed, his back, sack and crack completely smooth against his lips. There were benefits to being with a stripper. The other was the fluid grace that Kurt’s body shuddered and undulated in pleasure, beautifully responsive to Alexi’s attentions. 

He was thorough in his explorations, licking, kissing, sucking and biting Kurt everywhere. Eventually he had satisfied that need, and went to the next. Seeing how much of Kurt he could take. 

Kurt groaned when Alexi finally took the head of his cock into his mouth, tongue circling around, licking up the precum. His hand went into his curls, holding him there, but his grasp was soft. His hips twitched and Alexi felt a twinge of respect at his control. He knew how hard it was to resist the urge to fuck deeper into someone’s mouth during a blow job. He respected it, but wanted to shatter it. He wanted Kurt a bit out of control, a bit wild. 

The thought made him smile wickedly, even with his mouth so full, and Kurt saw the glint in his eyes. His head fell back, moaning, as Alexi began to really suck him in earnest. It was smooth, a coordinated rhythm of his stroking hands with his mouth, taking him deeper and deeper. Loving having to strain, to push, to work at taking Kurt down his throat. Feeling a sense of accomplishment each time he pulled back all the way, seeing how much he had taken in. 

They were both lost in it, their eyes meeting often. Alexi loved giving him this pleasure, Kurt accepted it, appreciated it. Accepted Alexi’s pace and got into it, his hips starting to move. 

Alexi could tell when Kurt was getting close. His hand tensed in his hair more often, his hips shuddering. He was breathing harder, small moans of pleasure escaping that turned him on to no end. 

“Alexi, Alexi,” he moaned, hips arching off the bed, a shudder running over him, and he knew he was really close. 

Pulling back, he focussed on the head, his hand stroking firmly along the impressive length. He sucked and licked, feeling almost dizzy from lack of air. His eyes locked on Kurt’s face, seeing when he closed his eyes tight, his mouth falling open as a hard shudder racked his whole body. 

Alexi took it all, stroking him through the whole orgasm, feeling his cock pulsing against his lips, his tongue. Warm fluid coating his mouth, running down his chin. Kurt groaning at the sight, his hand clenching almost painfully in Alexi’s hair with the last couple shots. 

He fell back against the bed beside Kurt, both still breathing hard. Alexi felt a buzz like he had just come too, he had been so connected to Kurt just then. It had been even better than he thought it would be. 

Kurt recovered enough to roll on his side, his mouth pressed to Alexi’s shoulder as his hand went down his chest. Gasping as Kurt stroked him, his own release coming quickly, just part of the overall experience. 

They were a mess but it didn’t seem to matter. Curling close together, Alexi pulled the covers over them and soon fell into exhausted, sated sleep.

...

-A/N: Sexy times...This is their sexual tension reaching it’s boiling over point.

-Voldemort act: The idea is mostly based on this fantastic drag of Voldemort by ‘Florida Man’. [Video.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yVfULwWFFb0) I think Kurt will set it to Annie Lennox’s slow and sultry version of ‘I Put a Spell on You’, [Video. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3TrSMaOZm3Y) Instead of bringing on another stripper, Kurt does Argentine tango moves with the pole, like in this [video. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QTN6UFnHDD8) It ends with Kurt’s green magic being defeated by Harry Potter’s red, like in the movie. [2 min clip.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=haZEcPbF1T0)


	7. Friday

**-FRIDAY AFTERNOON-**

“Can I sit here?” 

Alexi looked up from his notebook, and nodded. He was in his usual place in the afternoon, sitting at a table in the club while Kurt rehearsed nearby on the stage. 

Angela sat down, passing him a drink. “It’s just cranberry juice and soda. Kurt said you aren’t allowed booze yet.”

He held up his glass to clink it against hers. “Thanks for letting me come by here when Kurt is practicing.”

“Well, you are looking healthier every time I see you. You’d be bored staying at the apartment all day.”

Alexi agreed, but it still felt weird, feeling like a lost piece of a puzzle. The rest of the world was clicking along, and he was stuck on the sidelines, feeling useless. 

“Any more memories coming back?” Angela asked. 

Alexi looked down at his notebook, where he’d been tracking them. Trying to analyze them for connections, putting together his puzzle. “More memories about university. Being drunk with friends, but not recalling their faces too clearly. Music rehearsals. Being at the beach with my family as a kid. Vague impressions of my parents. Nothing I can pin down that well.”

She looked sympathetic. “Well, at least they are still coming.”

He had been following Kurt’s schedule, going to bed late and sleeping in. Eating meals together. Usually hanging out at the club with him for a little, getting to know the other strippers. He still wasn’t talking much around them, but liked hearing them teasing Kurt and each other.

He usually didn’t watch when Kurt was practicing on stage, not needing more images of him being sexy as fuck. He already had a head full of those. Just normal everyday moments, the way Kurt curled up on his end of the sofa, knees against his chest, pulling the blanket over himself. The way he laughed during movies and hummed along to songs when he cooked. 

This morning he had woken up to Kurt pressed against him, and it had led to slow kissing. That had led to grinding against each other. When he had tried for more, Kurt had seemed resistant to the idea, seeming almost guilty. His abandon from the day before gone. 

It was frustrating, the way Kurt was running hot and cold, but Alexi knew how conflicted he was. Strongly attracted to each other, but so unsure about the future. Wondering if Alexi was in a relationship in his normal life. They both needed some time to think.

At least the casual touches weren’t as frequent today. They had established their relationship around the club well enough that it was accepted, so they only held hands in public. Trying to control themselves more than they had yesterday.

“So, sorry if this a sensitive subject, but what will you do if they don’t come back?” Angela asked, breaking into his thoughts. 

Alexi sighed. He had avoided thinking about this much, but knew he had to. “In other words, when will I stop sponging off Kurt?”

She chuckled. “Well, he is sometimes too nice for his own good. He thinks he’s worldly but he’s really just a small town boy.”

“Well, I don’t have ID or anything. How can I get a job or rent an apartment?” Alexi sat back in his chair, looking at the blonde, wanting her advice. He couldn’t just assume that Kurt wanted him to stay. It had been a temporary arrangement right from the start.

She had an answer right away, and Alexi knew she had planned this talk. “You could work for me, here.”

“As a stripper?” Alexi said, his voice rising at the end in shock.

“God no,” Angela scoffed. “I saw you trying out the pole. But I can use bus boys on our busy nights. I can pay you under the table.”

“And where will I live?” Alexi asked, a bit bemused at the thought of working in that type of job. It was for people ten years younger than he was, usually.

“One of the dancers has a room. His roommate moved out. It’s pretty cheap,” Angela said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We can tell everyone that you two couldn’t get along. That you are figuring out another way to get your green card.”

It would work. Blaine could imagine doing OK like that. Making enough to pay his bills, having lots of time left to investigate. To figure out his past. It could take months, years even to get back. He hardly let himself think that he might never go back. It was too scary to contemplate. At least for now.

As much as he cared for Kurt, wanted him, living together any longer was a recipe for disaster. He had to be strong, and do what was best for Kurt. He’d helped him enough. He deserved his apartment, his life back. Alexi would still be at the club, and could watch out for him.

“When can I start?” He had to be practical about this.

Angela grinned. “Good man. How about tonight? Ten pm.”

...

**-FRIDAY NIGHT-**

“This is ridiculous, Alexi!” Kurt hissed under his breath, slamming down his brush so hard it scuttled along the counter. 

Alexi put his hand out, ready to catch it if it went over the edge, and looked up at Kurt. “It makes sense, Kurt. I can’t have you supporting me forever.” He spoke softly, looking around to see if anyone noticed their quiet argument. 

“Forever! It hasn’t even been a week yet! How about you let me worry about you overstaying your welcome!” Kurt tried drawing his eyeliner on straight, but his hand was shaking too much. “Fuck!”

Alexi passed him a make-up wipe, trying to be helpful. 

Kurt glared at him, grabbing the wipe and the eyeliner and stomping off. “I’ll get Angela to put this on me.”

Sighing, Alexi sunk into Kurt’s vacated chair. He had told Kurt about his plans after dinner and they had been arguing about it since then. Kurt had practically looked daggers at him when he had pulled on his own jeans and t-shirt, wanting to wear them to work instead of Kurt’s nice clothing. He’d likely get sweaty and spill alcohol on his clothes by the end of the shift. 

“Trouble in paradise?” 

Alexi looked up, and saw that Sebastian had sidled up beside him. He seemed quite amused, about to break out into a smirk. 

“Sorry, English not good,” Alexi said softly, trying to dissuade the stripper from talking to him. He was already angry enough as it was.

“Bullshit,” Sebastian said calmly. “You seem to communicate fine with Kurt and Angela. I know most of the strippers here have IQs lower than Forrest Gump, but I somehow figured out that things don’t add up here.”

“You talk to Kurt,” Alexi said, still using his rougher whisper. Less accent needed that way. He looked away. Maybe if he ignored the annoying man, he’d go away. 

“Tell you what. How about you listen and I’ll talk,” Sebastian said, his green eyes glinting. “I think the whole story about you being from Russia is bull. You are American and hiding out here for some reason. You aren’t married to Kurt-“

Alexa’s head snapped up, glaring at Sebastian. 

“-and I know that because the sexual tension between you two is off the charts. I know he’s the Ice Prince with morals and all that shit, but there’s no way you two wouldn’t be getting busy if you were married. Even if it was just for a green card.”

Sebastian looked so smug, Alexi wanted to punch him. Hard. Maybe knock out a few teeth. He settled for another glare and growled, “Leave me alone.”

“Plus, there’s no fucking way you’d be sitting like that if Kurt was tapping that fine ass of yours. That man is hung. I’m sure he has to sew his own briefs to contain that monster. What the hell is he like hard? I’ve often-“

“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” Alexi found himself on his feet, hands balled at his sides, hissing into the smirking face of a man at least five inches taller than he was. 

He whirled away, leaving out the back door and turning right. _That fucking fucker! Shithead Asshole! Pissbreath Fuckface!_ He was so mad he had walked a few blocks before he realized what he was doing. 

_Brilliant, Alexi. Walk around the back alley you were attacked wearing the same clothes._ He might as well be shouting out to those goons, ‘Hey! Here I am! Come finish me off!’ The only thing different about his appearance was his lack of scruff and the blue, curly hair. It was dark enough outside that it probably wasn’t too noticeable. 

Heart pounding in his chest, partially from the lingering anger and walking so fast, but increasingly from fear, Alexi shrunk back against the nearest wall and tried to get his bearings. Was anyone else around? Were those men? They weren’t staking out this alley 24/7, were they? 

He had to assume the worst, and hope for the best. Cautiously, he moved as silently as he could, from shadow to shadow, freezing at any noise or sign of movement. It seemed to take ages by the time he got back into the club, and got into the relative safety within. He went to the staff washroom, splashing his face with water, and trying to settle back down. At least Kurt hadn’t noticed him leave or return. He’d be even madder at him then. 

“Angela wants to see you,” a stripper said, passing by him as he exited the washroom. 

Knocking on her office door, he entered when she gave permission. Today she was dressed in a tight, shiny gold dress. It went well with her blond hair, but she was a bit too old to pull it off. 

“I talked to Kurt. Got him to see reason,” she started. 

Alexi’s head whipped up. “Oh, thank you. That’s a relief.”

She held up her hands. “Wait, there’s more. He wants you to stay until Sunday. Make it a full week. He’ll even help you settle in to your new place.”

“Why? What difference does it make if I go now or then?” Alexi asked, confused. 

Angela gave a small shrug. “I think Kurt is hoping more of your memory will come back by then. Maybe enough to have you go home instead of moving somewhere else. He doesn’t like admitting defeat.”

“But he did nothing wrong! He has been fantastic to me!” Alexi said, feeling his head start to ache. The argument, Sebastian, the alley, and now this. He was feeling dizzy. 

She came around the desk, putting her arm around him. “Alexi, we all know that. But Kurt cares about you. I do too. And you look exhausted now. Why don’t you go home and start this job tomorrow instead?”

Alexi shook his head, and regretted it. He really felt weak now. “No, I need to start tonight. Otherwise Kurt will think he’s won the argument.”

“Stupid fucking men,” Angela grumbled under her breath, and walked to her office door, yanking it open. “You! Go get me a cheeseburger, and a big glass of orange juice. Now!”

Alexi had no idea who Angela had shouted her order to, but within a few minutes one of the kitchen staff brought in a tray. It even had a brownie with ice cream for dessert. Chocolate to calm the dragon. 

Angela ate the brownie, watching Alexi like a hawk until he finished the meal. He felt better, less dizzy. 

“Now, do you want to stay for a half shift, or go home now?” Angela asked, her voice sweet but her eyes telling him he better not test her limits. 

“Um, I’ll work,” he muttered, getting up and leaving the office. It was a small victory. A compromise. He would start working tonight, and would move out on Sunday. Two more nights. He could handle that. He’d be exhausted from work anyways. Would sleep like a baby.

...

The job was good and quite easy. He simply carried a tray and filled it with empty glasses, plates and bottles. When it got full, he took it to the bussing tubs on the cart near the kitchen. The dishwashers took the full tubs and replaced them with empty ones. It was physical, walking constantly and carrying the heavy tray, but he welcomed that. 

The music was booming and the crowd getting into the show. Most people ignored him, and occasionally he got someone requesting service. He sent servers over to take the orders. Occasionally he got a glance at the strippers on stage, tanned, muscular bodies twisting and turning to the beat, egging the audience on. 

It was almost midnight when he saw them. The two goons. Sitting on one of the elevated areas near the back, where they could view the whole room. Alexi stepped away, watching them from the shadows. Had they seen him earlier in the back alley, seen him slip inside the club? Had someone tipped them off that he was at the club a lot? They were definitely looking around the crowd, whispering to each other, not watching the strippers at all. Who comes to a strip club and doesn’t watch the act? 

It confirmed in his head that it was definitely them. His first instinct was to run. To grab Kurt and leave. Warn Angela and everyone else. 

But on second thought, here were men who knew who he was. They had answers to questions he had been driving himself crazy with all week. Who was he? What did they want? Was there any safe way to get this from them? Follow them? See where they went? Wire tap them? 

The stripper onstage finished his act and the whole crowd, except the thugs, was clapping and cheering. Alexi could feel the energy and excitement of the crowd, since the best dancers were the last performers each night. Sebastian and Kurt. 

To keep the peace, Angela alternated who went last. That meant that Kurt was next on stage tonight. Would the thugs recognize him? Realize he had probably left the club from the back door last Friday, and found the man they attacked? Piece it all together?

His head was starting to ache again, the stress of the day just too much. He dropped off the empties on his tray and headed to Angela’s office. 

She wasn’t there, since she sat at her special table at the back of the club during shows. But she’d have her phone nearby. Alexi could only hope she noticed it. 

**Trouble in the club. Attackers are at table 42.**

His heart was pounding as he waited for a response, staring at the screen.

**Shit! Want me to bouncers to eject them?**

Relief washed over him at the quick reply. 

**No. Get Kurt off stage though. Might recognize him.**

**Done. Texted Sebastian to go on next. Told Kurt to come to my office. Be there soon.**

Smart woman, Alexi thought, some of his tension winding down. They could figure this out together. 

“What the fuck is going on, Angela?” Kurt shouted, barging through the office door. He saw the empty chair behind her desk, and then saw Alexi. “What are you-“

“Wait. Angela’s coming,” Alexi said, holding his hands up in a calming manner. 

Before Kurt could shout some more, the petite blond bustled in, locking the door behind her. “Should we call the police? They did attack you.”

“Who? What?” Kurt’s head was whipping between Angela and Alexi, still looking irritated. “Police?”

“My attackers are here. Table 42. Looking over the crowd, maybe for me,” Alexi said, trying to make sense of it all. “I don’t want them to see either of us.”

“Then stay in here. I’ll get the guys out front to message when they go.” Angela said, pulling out her phone. 

“Wait,” Alexi said. “It might be better to try to get information from them.”

“They tried to kill you, Alexi! Hit you so hard they scrambled your brain, maybe forever!” Kurt hissed, clearly not impressed. 

“Yes, exactly! Maybe forever!” He hissed back, just as incensed. “Those assholes are the only people in this building who have a good chance of knowing my real name. Knowing something about me. I can’t just let them walk away.”

“So you are going to put yourself in danger? Why the fuck did we bother disguising you and faking this damn marriage, if you are, are...”

Kurt’s voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands, clearly emotional. Angela pushed a box of tissues towards Alexi and he handed some to Kurt, resting a calming hand on his shoulder. He could feel him shaking. 

Alexi felt awful. “I’m so sorry, Kurt. We will figure something out. Something as safe as it can be.”

Angela was sitting back in her chair, thinking it through. “We could go to the police. They would either catch the men, making us safer for now, or fuck it up. Scare them off. They won’t admit anything in custody, and we wouldn’t hear it if they did. And they’d get released pretty quickly anyways.”

“That wouldn’t help,” Alexi agreed with her reasoning.

“We could capture them and torture them, make them talk. There’s a store room in the basement...” Angela said, mostly to herself, but she stopped when she saw how Kurt and Alexi were staring at her, aghast. “Um, just kidding, right, guys?” She gave a weak chuckle.

Alexi and Kurt didn’t join in. 

“We could get two of our bouncers to talk to them, see what they will tell them. But are our guys smart enough to get the information from them without tipping them off?” Angela went on, thinking aloud.

Kurt held his hand up, stopping her for now. “Actually, that has potential. But we’ll use my guy. And I’ll go with him.”

Alexi was the one glaring at Kurt now. “You won’t let me go into danger, but it’s fine for you?”

“I don’t have a head injury,” Kurt stayed calmly, holding up a finger. “I will wear a disguise,” he added, holding up another finger, “and I know Krav Maga.” He waved his three fingers at Alexi. 

Alexi was tempted to bend them in half. “Sure, the dance version! Choreographed moves! I doubt these guys have been to the rehearsals.” 

Kurt had been working on his newest routine all week for Saturday night, not revealing the music or costumes yet. It seemed to involve a couple other performers, doing some feigned fight scenes. Alexi had admired his abilities, but Kurt was a slim man. Hardly up to really fighting men twice his size. 

They bickered back and forth, with Angela calming them down. Pretty soon they had a plan. Alexi didn’t like most of it, but they didn’t have enough time to do anything else. 

...

“There. Disguised enough?” Kurt said to Alexi, pulling the brim of his black cowboy hat down low. It shaded his face well. 

Angela was good with makeup and hair, making him look like a dirty, sexy cowboy who had been living rough for a few weeks. A mask, reminiscent of the Lone Ranger, had been air brushed over his eyes. Dark contour even hinted that he had a scruff of whiskers. 

Kurt was in blue jeans, a boot cut that covered his cowboy boots perfectly and showed off his ass. He wore a rumpled plaid shirt and a black leather vest, a dark bandanna tied loosely around his neck. A gun hostler riding low on his hips. 

He looked so fucking good, Alexi wanted to haul him home and chain him to the bed for a week or two. He could tell from the glint in his eye that Kurt knew it, got off on the wanting. But they had bigger issues at hand. Alexi nodded his head.

It was everyone’s wet dream version of a cowboy. He basically two stepped, sashayed, and line danced around the stage, his lip sync perfect to the song, shaking that perfect ass to the crowd to keep them howling for more. 

It was an upbeat, catchy song, and when the chorus came up he held up a large white cube with bold black writing on each side. He tapped the side of the box, and tilted his head towards the audience.

“What if I fall?” A couple guys in the audience sang out the words on the box, obviously more familiar with the song than the rest of the audience. 

_I won't let you fall_

Kurt lip synced the response perfectly, and turned the cube so another side was displayed. 

“What if I cry?” A handful more of the audience sang back.

_I'll never make you cry_

“And if I get scared?” By now, the whole room was into it, singing the words displayed now on the box. 

_I'll hold you tighter_  
_When they're tryna get to you baby_  
_I'll be the fighter_

Between choruses, he set the cube down on a stool, a blank side displayed, and continuing his dance. 

Alexi watched from the back of the room, heart pounding in his chest. Kurt, being so brave, going on stage despite the danger, knowing those guys could recognize him. Doing his act, acting as normal as possible. 

If he had cancelled and left early, the audience would have complained loudly. It would have made the thugs wonder why he suddenly left. Maybe turn their attention towards Kurt. It wasn’t worth the risk. 

...

Ten minutes later, Kurt was scrubbed clean and wearing loose jeans and a huge hoodie, pulled down low on his face. He looked calm and determined. 

A six-foot man with a football player build entered through the back door, and Alexi tensed up. But Kurt waved him over, and the guy approached with a wide smile. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

“Anything for you, Kurt,” he said, and seemed to mean it. 

Kurt gave him a genuine smile back, and rested a hand on his forearm. “I warned you that it could get dangerous, right? I don’t want you going into this unprepared.”

“We will be ready to get out of there if need be,” he replied, nodding along with Kurt. 

Looking satisfied with the answers, Kurt turned towards Alexi. “Alexi, this is an old friend my high school days, Dave. Dave, Alexi was the one badly injured near here last weekend by these guys.”

They looked at each other, judging each other. Dave was a large, strong man, but Alexi could see how much he cared for Kurt and that he wanted to keep him safe. There was intelligence in his eyes. This wasn’t some dumb jock, obediently following Kurt’s orders. 

“Your number one priority is keeping Kurt safe,” Alexi said, holding his gaze. 

Dave smiled easily. “That has been my priority for many years now.”

Alexi believed him, even though he still didn’t like this plan. 

Angela’s phone buzzed. “They are leaving now.” 

Kurt and Dave stood a bit taller, and left together out the back. 

Alexi glanced at Angela, her face just as tense as his likely was. 

“Don’t worry. I sent Rudy and Joe after them. They’ll hang back unless there’s trouble. Keep me informed.” She held up her phone. There was a map with a dot moving on it. “This shows Rudy’s phone location.”

They went back into her office, feeling useless, watching from the sidelines. Angela forced some pain relievers and more juice on Alexi, knowing his head was aching from the stress. She got a double vodka soda. 

It seemed to go on forever, but it was probably only minutes. The dot went a few blocks and then stopped. The bouncers texted Angela that Kurt and Dave were talking to the thugs, but they weren’t close enough to hear the conversation. It didn’t look aggressive. 

Eventually the dot started moving back towards the club. Angela showed him Rudy’s text.

**Conversation over. Coming back.**

Alexi felt relieved that nobody was hurt. Had they been able to get any information? Had it been worth the risk?

...

They all sat in Angela’s office again, and Alexi insisted Kurt tell them the whole story. Dave shrugged, and waved for Kurt to go ahead.

“First off, those guys were huge, and they were pros,” Kurt said, gulping down half a bottle of water. 

“Pros? What kind of pros?” Angela asked, before Alexi found the words. 

Kurt wiped water off his chin. “Professional criminals. This is their business and they are good at it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are working for someone powerful.”

“Like hit men?” Alexi said, his voice going a bit squeaky out of pure shock. Had they actually been trying to kill him? Really? What the fuck had he been involved in?

Dave shook his head. “Maybe not quite that far. But bending the rules, roughing people up, scaring people? Yes, for sure.”

“So, what did you say to them? Rudy said you talked for a few minutes.” Angela asked, moving things along.

Kurt shrugged a shoulder. “Basically, followed the plan. I said I’d heard they had been flashing a picture of a guy around, and offering a reward for information. They said yes, and I asked to see the picture. They pulled it out and it definitely was you. A grainy picture, but you looking normal. Not injured or messed up.”

“Wearing the same clothes? So from earlier Friday night?” Alexi asked, excited by the information.

Kurt nodded. “I stared at the picture as long as I could, looking at the background for anything that identifiable. A time stamp. Any clues.”

“But the guys got kind of impatient,” Dave added, “so I asked to look at it.”

“While he was looking at it, I started asking questions about where, when, and then I asked for your name,” Kurt said, but he was already shaking his head. “They didn’t give anything but vague answers. Stuff we already knew. It was futile.”

“So, no name at all?” Alexi has to ask. Had to be sure.

Kurt took his hand, squeezing it. “No. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Fuck,” Alexi said, the hope that had been keeping his energy up popping like a balloon inside him. 

“Woah,” Dave said, grabbing Alexi’s shoulder as he listed to the side. “We better get you home.” 

Things were a blur after that. Alexi knew he was in the back of a car, Kurt holding him tight, and just leaned into him. Let his head rest against his neck, breathing in his comforting scent. 

...

-A/N: Tensions mounting... Thanks for reading.

-The Fighter: This 2017 song was co-written and recorded by New Zealand-born Australian country singer Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood as a duet. He said "it was just a very quick, quick song to write, because I literally thought about Nic and I and our relationship in the beginning, and some of the things we had said all went into that song." He has been married to Australian actress Nicole Kidman since 2006 and they have two children. (Wikipedia) [Fun Video with Nicole.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X_45jbE5_Y8)


	8. Saturday

**-SATURDAY MORNING-**

Alexi woke feeling warm, but his head a little fuzzy. He shifted a little, and felt a solid presence behind him. Spooning him. Kurt, tucked up as close as he could get, and his arm around his waist. All week, they had woken up in some type of contact, but never this close. 

For a second, he questioned it, thought of moving away, but then just stopped thinking. Relaxed into it, and fell back asleep. 

He must have been only lightly dozing, as he felt Kurt shift against him, pressing against his ass. 

His thoughts immediately went to Sebastian’s crude comments. Had that only been last night? It felt like ages ago. He thought of Kurt’s performance, dressed in those skintight jeans that showed off his ass so well. 

Unable to resist, Alexi rocked back against him, and felt Kurt’s gasp against his neck. He repeated the motion, and this time he got a deep groan. 

There were reasons, weren’t there, that they hadn’t done this before? Right? They had been sharing a bed all week and not had fucked. Why was that again? Sometimes amnesia is a bit selective.

Turning in Kurt’s arms, Alexi met his eyes. They were a bit sleepy, but dark with arousal. He wanted this just as much as Alexi did. His eyes went down to his mouth, those perfect lips, and he had to kiss him. A real kiss. Not a kiss for anyone else. Just them. The one he’d been craving for days. As long as he could remember. 

Kurt was just as desperate for it, sinking into the kiss with a moan Alexi felt down to his toes. Once they started, the kisses continued on and on, blending into each other. 

“Need you, want you, so bad,” Alexi gasped, tugging at Kurt’s t-shirt.

Kurt pulled it off, his stripping abilities quite impressive, and he seemed equally talented at making Alexi’s pyjamas disappear too. In only their briefs, they rocked together. 

Gathering his nerve, Alexi moved his hand downwards. Kurt’s briefs had a very thick hard bulge, and his fingers traced over it. Instead of moving his hand away, Kurt arched up into it.

Alexi rolled on top of him, tangling their legs together. The kisses quickly became heated, Kurt’s hands digging into Alexi’s curly hair. They rocked together, fully hard. 

“I want you, Kurt. All of you,” Alexi moaned against his neck, just needing more. “Not because you are a hot stripper, or because you are well endowed. Because even though we haven’t been together long, I do feel so, so much for you. You have been there, unselfishly helping me every way you could, never asking for anything in return. At first I thought you were too good to be true, but being together almost constantly has shown me who you really are.”

“You don’t have to sleep with me as some kind of repayment, Alexi.”

“Kurt, it’s not like that at all. I just want to be with you. As close to you as I can get,” Alexi said, meaning every word. 

Kurt closed his eyes at the words, and when he opened them, his own almost overflowing. “I want that too.”

It just felt natural after that. Naked, together. Touching, sharing. Alexi wanting Kurt’s pleasure before his own, and Kurt feeling the same way. Kurt’s hands and mouth made Alexi feel treasured and beautiful, giving every part lavish attention. Alexi returned the favor. 

The prep was very thorough, leaving Alexi almost a begging mess. Kurt moved him onto his back with a pillow under his ass, and towels. “Are you sure?”

“Fuck, yes. Please, please, Kurt,” Alexi said, his hands pulling at his hips. “I’m so ready for you.”

Kurt held his eyes as he pushed in, watching for signs of pain, signs he should stop. Alexi knew this, and it allowed him to relax, completely trusting Kurt. He hitched his hips up a little, the perfect angle, and Kurt’s thick cock slid in a few inches. They both groaned at the sensation. 

“Mmmmm try a bit further,” Alexi said, after a couple minutes. It took adjustment, but the stretch was delicious. It felt so wickedly naughty. Pleasure with a tinge of pain. It made it scary, but so exciting. 

Kurt’s eyes were a bit unfocused, and Alexi felt that way too. Lost in the sensations, overwhelmed by them. Kurt kept pressing in, and pulling back slightly, working it in deeper and deeper. Alexi kept thinking it was too much, but he always waited another minute and the feeling faded. His body adapting. 

“So good,” Kurt sighed, pulling out a couple inches and back in, fucking Alexi with short, steady strokes, and then pushing in deeper. 

Alexi wrapped his legs around Kurt, completely open, pressing towards him with each thrust. 

“Want to turn over?” Kurt asked, his voice rough with arousal. 

Shifting, Alexi felt empty when Kurt pulled out, changing to a new condom and adding more lube. It felt more vulnerable to be on all fours, Kurt behind him. But his body took him back in eagerly, deeply, the sensation even more intense at this angle. Alexi groaned at the sensations. 

Kurt’s hands were on his hips, encouraging him to rock back into each thrust, and Alexi got right into it. “That’s beautiful. You are taking me so well.”

“More, more,” Alexi moaned, dropping his head down to the bed, his ass in the air, just wanting it all. Wanted Kurt’s body slamming into his with every stroke. Wanted it hard and rough. Wanted to feel it for days. 

Kurt went back to teasing him, alternating long strokes with short, shallow ones. Making him hunger to be filled up, and fucked hard. “Please, please,” Alexi gasped. 

Kurt’s hand reached around, slick with lube, and he started stroking him. When Alexi was on the edge of a orgasm, Kurt slowed the strokes, pushing in a bit deeper. He kept doing this, edging Alexi, distracting him, working even deeper each time. 

Finally he kept stroking, not slowing down. “Yes, yes, fuck me, yes...” Alexi moaned, practically seeing stars. His orgasm started, making his whole body clench and release with each shot. 

Kurt was right there with him, still stroking him. “Yes, baby, yes. So beautiful.” And he pushed the rest of the way in, groaning against his back. 

Alexi eventually got his breathing calmed, as Kurt rolled them on to their sides, still deeply connected. He shifted their legs to a good position, holding Alexi lightly. 

Grabbing one of the many towels, Alexi cleaned himself up as well as he could. 

“Is it OK, if we stay like this for a bit?” Kurt said softly, his mouth near his ear. 

Alexi hummed his consent. He was still buzzing from the intense orgasm, and enjoying the light way Kurt was trailing his fingers over his skin. He felt almost too full, a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn’t really painful. He’d give it a few more minutes. 

Kurt kissed the back of his neck, nuzzling in. Alexi felt surrounded by him, in tune with his breathing. With everything. 

Kurt’s touch moved downwards, stroking along his stomach, up his thighs, and Alexi was surprised to feel a pang of awareness. As Kurt’s touch moved closer, he began to anticipate it, want it again. Wanted him to touch his cock. 

When he finally did, Kurt was gentle. With lubed fingers, he stroked and played, lazy touches that went perfectly with lazy kisses against his neck. 

But there was a point that things changed. Alexi realized he was getting hard again, much faster than he usually could manage. 

Kurt had noticed it too, his breathing speeding up a little. He shifted a bit, and Alexi could feel him, already so deep. It was so intense he closed his eyes tight, breathing faster. Kurt started rocking, tiny motions, slowly building to bigger ones. 

Alexi was amazed. He started stroking his own cock, meeting Kurt’s thrusts. “Yes, Kurt. Come with me this time. Push all the way in and give it all to me,” Alexi panted. 

Kurt pushed at Alexi again. “Come over me, OK?” They shifted positions, and Alexi got right on top of Kurt, taking him deeply. Kurt’s hands were on his ass, looking up at him as he rocked his hips upwards. 

Alexi had control, and found he could make Kurt be the one squirming and breathlessly begging. It was so hot, riding him hard, both panting and sweaty. When Kurt finally tensed up, grabbing Alexi’s ass firmly, he stilled. Stroking his own cock as fast as he could. Feeling Kurt shuddering and shaking, just as he reached his own peak. Bonelessly sinking down over him. 

Eventually they pulled apart and cleaned up. Kurt gave Alexi a concerned look. “Are you OK?”

He grinned. “You know, two intense, incredible orgasm like that really should be equivalent to being hit on the head again. I really should have all my memories back.”

“Fuck the amnesia away?” Kurt chuckled. 

“Mmmmmm hmmmm...” Alexi sighed, feeling sleepy. “I really should get up to shower or something.”

“In a little while,” Kurt yawned, curling up next to Alexi. Sounding just as exhausted.

...

**-SATURDAY AFTERNOON-**

He woke up to Kurt’s phone buzzing. Kurt swore, grabbing it to look at the screen, and swore again. 

“Fuck, I’m so fucking late. I need to get down to the club to finalize a couple things for the show later, while Sebastian is out doing an audition,” he said, swinging his legs out of the bed. “Are you feeling OK?”

Alexi nodded. “I’ll get up soon and have a really hot bath.”

“Great,” Kurt said, leaning over to kiss him. “So sorry, but I need to have a quick shower and go.”

The shower soon started up. Alexi gingerly sat up, and found he was sore, but it wasn’t much more than other intense sessions. Bearable. Worth it. 

He got up, going to the kitchen. When Kurt came out a minutes later and threw on some clothes, he passed him a travel mug of coffee and a PB&J sandwich. Kurt looked delighted, giving him a grateful kiss before running out. 

...

Alexi had a lazy afternoon, sipping his coffee laced with Bailey’s in that hot bath, and playing music loudly. Singing at the top of his lungs. Feeling happy. 

This morning changed everything. He wouldn’t be moving out now, would he? It was too early to say the ‘L’ word, wasn’t it? He felt it on the tip of his tongue, but swallowed it back down several times. 

How could he know he loved Kurt when he didn’t know himself? Didn’t know if they fit together? Didn’t know if he could fit into Kurt’s future plans?

It wouldn’t be fair to either of them, acting like what they had now could last forever. Alexi could get memories back anytime that would change everything. It was like building a house on the edge of a cliff, never knowing when it could topple over. 

But did anyone truly know that? They could know everything and plan their whole future and get hit by a bus. 

His emotions flip flopped around all afternoon.

...

**-SATURDAY EVENING-**

“Did you see my tweet?” Kurt asked, massaging Alexi’s shoulders. 

He had been sweet since coming home after his rehearsal. He brought a big bag of Thai food, and they had both eaten a lot. 

Alexi put the leftovers into the fridge. “No. I wasn’t on my phone much today.”

“The rehearsal went well, so I tweeted out about the new routine. Hope I didn’t jinx it.” Kurt said, sitting down in the sofa and pulling Alexi with him. “I put something like ‘Check out my new routine tonight, inspired by Cooper Anderson’.”

“Oh God, you aren’t going to be dressed in a safari outfit, fighting off dinosaurs as you strip, are you?” Alexi groaned, picturing the worst. 

Kurt laughed. “Maybe next week. I could get the dinos to bite at me, but only succeed in tearing my clothes off.”

“The first sexy paleontologist since Ross on Friends,” Alexi said, snuggling into Kurt.

“Ack!” Kurt squawked, and pushed Alexi away. “You liked Ross? Eww!”

“He was a bit goofy, but he was smart and I liked his hair,” Alexi grinned back. 

Kurt rolled his hair. “So much gel...oh wait! You had way too much gel in your hair when I first found you.”

Alexi shrugged. “Did I? I can’t remember that.” 

“Let’s hope you never do,” Kurt leaned in to nibble at his ear. “I’ll never fuck you again if you wear your hair like that.”

“Hey!” Alexi was the one pulling away now. “I thought you were going to whisper sweet nothings into my ear, and I get...get..,”

“What?” Kurt smirked back, amused at Alexi’s playful outrage. 

“Sexual manipulation! Using your cock to control me,” Alexi said, trying to keep a straight face. 

Kurt chuckled. “Um, well, it just so happens that I have a thing for curly blue hair now. I associate it with you, the man I have gotten to know so well.”

Alexi decided to drop the whole silly conversation. “So, can you give me any hints about this new performance?”

“Nope! Top Secret.” 

Smirking, Alexi crawled over to Kurt, going for the thickest accent possible. “Oh really? Well, I’m a secret agent from Russia, and I have ways of making you talk.”

It took a few minutes, but mostly Kurt was only saying things like “YES, Yes, oh...” and “so good, right there, mmmmmm...”

...

**-SATURDAY NIGHT-**

The stage was completely dark. A male voice said, “My name is Bond, James Bond”, as a small white circle of light appeared in the center of the stage, and enlarged steadily, until it was six feet wide. And then the classic James Bond theme song started up, with the twangy bass guitar. A faster dance version with a good beat. The audience roared its approval. 

Kurt stood in that circle of light, a perfect silhouette in profile, a gun in his hand. He turned to face the opposite way, posing with his arm outstretched like he was going to shoot. 

The light increased to show him better, his impeccably fitted black suit with a snowy white shirt and slim black tie. He was wearing sunglasses, looking haughty and cool. He strutted up the stage, posing like a gorgeous male model. He took the sunglasses off, tossing them to the side.

Alexi swallowed hard. Kurt on stage was something else. He radiated confidence and seemed impossibly gorgeous. He knew he wasn’t the only one feeling it. Everyone in the room was staring, transfixed. Whistling and cheering their approval.

There was a flurry of movement behind Kurt, and two hands appeared on his shoulders, grabbing the lapels of his jacket to yank it down his arms, pinning them behind him. He swirled to face him, doing a perfectly feigned roundhouse kick at his enemy. As he spun out of the kick, he freed his arms from the jacket, and threw it to the side. 

His opponent was dressed like a ninja, in black from head to toe. They circled each other, legs bent in fighting stance, like coiled springs. Kurt had his eyes locked on the other man, but was undoing the buttons of his cuffs, and rolling his sleeves up to have better range of motion.

Lightening quick, there was a fury of blows and kicks, and Kurt arched his back, head thrown back, in an expression of pain, before slumping. The ninja caught him before he fell, dragging him across the stage to drop him on to a table. 

There was a white screen in front of the table, so the audience could only see the silhouette of the two men behind it. Kurt was being tied down, his body weakly trying to rise up before he was restrained. But before his right hand was tied, he struck out, and the ninja fell backwards. Out of sight to the audience.

Kurt undid his bonds, and sat on the edge of the table, his curved back showing his exhaustion. But then he straightened up, getting off the table, each step stronger. 

On the other side of the stage was a mirror, and he looked into it, fingering the tear to the sleeve of his shirt, and unbuttoned it. He unzipped his pants, slipping them off, along with his shoes. 

A servant arrived with a tray, setting it on the table. Kurt gave him a regal nod and the servant poured liquids into a shaker, shook it and poured it into an iconic martini glass. 

Kurt ambled over to the man to take the drink, standing towards the audience as he took a sip, his shirt hanging open, showing a bit of his pale chest. But suddenly Kurt tensed, a knife at his throat. His servant was another enemy, standing right behind him.

Throwing the glass to the side, Kurt spun to face his attacker and the knife was soon sliding across the floor. The man behind Kurt seemed frozen in place, defenseless. There was a pause, both men completely still, standing so close together.

Hands came up to Kurt’s shoulders, and then were pushing the white shirt off. Dragging it down his arms. 

The crowd was going wild. Kurt was in good shape, a slim body with some muscle definition in his shoulders, arms and chest. Strong legs. Tight dark grey boxer briefs. He had a perfect ass, round and firm. 

The hands came to his hips. The crowd roared their approval. Then they went to Kurt’s waist, pulling at the top of his briefs, teasing the crowd. 

Kurt moved fast, lifting the other man to wrap his legs around his waist. In a few steps, he had the man on the edge of the table. Two silhouettes. Hips grinding, backs arching, legs in the air. 

Alexi was tempted to put his hands over his ears, the crowd was so loud. 

The song was ending, the iconic music fading away, as the pair behind the screen was finishing. Kurt’s silhouette was pulling on his underwear, and emerged, wiping a towel over his damp face. He stood in the center of the stage, giving a close-lipped, satisfied smile. Nodding to the audience as they applauded loudly. 

His partners appeared, his servant now wearing a kimono-style robe, and his ninja with his mask off. They bowed quickly when Kurt waved to them, and then they all left.

Alexi’s hands felt sore from clapping so hard, his voice hoarse from cheering. He was gulping down the rest of his drink, just to soothe it.

Angela was chuckling. “Amazing, isn’t he? A whole story told in a few minutes. One song.”

She waved over a server to order another round. When Alexi had joined her at her table earlier, she had thought him ready to drink alcohol, so had ordered two of her favourite. Bubble gum flavoured vodka and soda. 

The club was busy, so it took about ten minutes before their drinks arrived. Alexi eyes his with distaste, while Angela took a big sip. 

Suddenly, there was a man in his lap, a warm cuddly man. Kurt wrapped an arm around his shoulder and grabbed the vodka soda, downing the whole damn thing.

“Extremely vile, Angela! Why are you giving my husband such swill?” Kurt grinned at his friend, before leaning in to give Alexi a very enthusiastic kiss.

The patrons nearby saw this, and whooped. Kurt loved it, giving them a bit of a performance. The kiss went on and on, until Alexi was feeling almost dizzy from lack of air.

“Fuck, Kurt,” Alexi gasped, slumped back in his chair. 

His husband simply smirked, wiggling in his lap.

Alexi’s hands clamped down on his hips, and he leaned in close to his ear, “Stop that,” he growled.

“Or what?” Kurt said back with a flirty and evil grin.

“Just you wait until I get you home,” Alexi growled back. 

Kurt looked over at Angela. “Well, we’re leaving now. Goodnight.”

Angela just chuckled as Kurt jumped up, and dragged his husband to the nearest exit.

...

"Come on, I need to change." Kurt said, pulling Alexi with him. “And then I’m free for two days. Whatever should we do to fill the time?” 

"Be quick,” Alexi growled close to Kurt’s ear, following him closely. He had a week’s worth of fantasies to indulge in with Kurt, and was eager to get started.

"You liked the show?" Kurt asked playfully, his eyes gleaming.

Alexi leaned in to his ear. "So fucking hot, babe."

The dressing room wasn't that busy, since most of the dancers were working the floor, trying to get private sessions. Kurt changed into comfortable clothes, and washed his face.

His phone buzzed, and he looked at the screen. "Oh my God!"

"What?" Alexi said, checking his own hair, and finger combing some curls into better order.

"Cooper Anderson was at the show tonight and he was impressed! He must have seen my tweet somehow!" Kurt said, so shocked. 

Alexi scoffed. "That wanker is here? In a gay club? I bet he is wearing disguises like crazy." 

"Angela says he wants a private session. With me." 

"What?" Alexi said, turning towards Kurt. "Isn’t he straight? And I thought you said you never did them. That you got paid enough from your cut." 

Kurt shook his head slowly, still looking stunned. "No. I said that I rarely do them. That my fee is so high, few people can afford it." 

"And a blockbuster movie star who gets paid millions a movie happens to be able to," Alexi said, sitting down in one of the other stripper's chairs.

Kurt sighed, seeing how irritated Alexi was. "Look, you knew I was a stripper from the start. I thought you had accepted that. Or are you just bothered that it's him?"

Alexi took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I think I don't like the idea of you being alone like that with any customer."

"There are strict rules. Clothes stay on. They don't touch me," Kurt said quickly, not meeting Alexi's eyes.

"Why do you want to do it? Are you that star struck?"

Kurt huffed. "Because it's a huge amount of money for 30 minutes work. It makes New York that much closer."

"How much money?"

Kurt pressed his lips together, not impressed with the question. He quickly said an amount that had Alexi’s eyebrows shooting upwards. 

"And they don't touch you?"

Kurt shook his head. "I get a security guard to be in the room with me the whole time, facing away. One word and the client is out of the club, banned forever."

"A bouncer."

"Yes," Kurt said. "I get Dave to come in for me. I feel safe with him there."

"And he'll drop everything and come in right now if you ask him?"

Kurt sighed again. "We have history, OK? We've been through a lot together."

"He loves you."

"We love each other. As friends," Kurt said, and then paused. "Once, it was more, but that was ages ago now."

Alexi sighed, and got up, feeling...what? Angry? Jealous? His earlier good mood was completely gone and he just felt exhausted. "OK. Well, I guess I’ll go home then. I might be asleep by the time you are finished with your closeted movie star. Try to be quiet when you enter."

He felt unsettled. Antsy. Something was just wrong, wrong, wrong, and he couldn't put a finger on what it was exactly. Was it just jealousy? It didn't really feel like that.

Kurt grabbed his hand, clearly noticing how upset Alexi was. "What if you come in with me? I can tell him you are my trainee, and so he gets two for the price of one. Then you will see what it's all about, and see it's not really a big deal. Just another type of performance."

...

-A/N: Cliffhanger!!!!! There are 2 more chapters & an epilogue. With edits & all the notes at the end of the chapters, the fic ended up around 40K words. 

-Ross from Friends: [1 min clip.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kXLssePc5rY)

-James Bond: Kurt uses Twang Chun’s hip hop remix of the classic theme song. [Link. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hXd_Cc9XKIc)


	9. Late Saturday Night

**-LATE SATURDAY NIGHT-**

An hour later, Alexi was standing beside Kurt, holding his hand, his heart pounding. They were both in costume. Dave was standing nearby, his eyes on Kurt.

Kurt nodded, and Dave knocked on a door once before entering.

"He explains the rules. Scares them a bit," Kurt explained, in a quiet tone.

Dave opened the door, and Kurt walked forward, dragging Alexi with him, his grip tight. 

The door clicked behind them, seeming extremely loud. Alexi jumped a little. Kurt squeezed his hand to comfort him.

Cooper Anderson was sprawled out on the black leather sofa, a spread of champagne and a cheese tray on the table nearby. He was wearing a baseball cap and glasses, and he pulled them off, grinning at the way Kurt's eyes lit up with recognition.

"Oh, Mr. Anderson, this is so great to meet you. I've been a fan since those commercials started," Kurt gushed, his voice higher than normal with his excitement.

Alexi ground his teeth together, hating every moment.

Cooper grinned widely, his teeth almost sparkling. "Oh, please call me Cooper. I'll just call you Bond, James Bond." He winked at Kurt, obviously thinking his joke hilarious. His motions were exaggerated, even for him, showing he was already a bit drunk.

Kurt seemed to agree, flushing a bit and giggling too much. "I sure hope you get the part. You'd be the sexiest Bond ever, Mr -, I mean Cooper."

Alexi scoffed lightly to himself. Was this a typical private session? Fawning all over the client, saying how fantastic they were? It probably would get an egomaniac like Cooper Anderson off, come to think of it.

His little noise seemed to have drawn the big movie star's attention from his adoring fanboy. "And who are you? Dr. No?"

_Dr. No Fucking Way in a Million Years._ Alexi touched a hand to his eye mask, making sure it was still firmly in place. 

Alexi's thoughts must have still been apparent to Kurt, even though he chuckled politely at the joke. "He's my trainee. He's just going to watch. Maybe dance a little if he feels inclined."

Kurt clicked a remote control, and a song he had loaded earlier started playing. An old classic. 

"Just relax, Cooper, and enjoy the show." Kurt purred, starting to move to the beat. "Remember the rules and we'll all have a good time."

Dave was facing towards the door, just like Kurt had promised, bopping his head slightly to the music.

Tentatively, Alexi started swaying, moving closer to Kurt, trying to mirror his sexy moves. Cooper loved it, hooting and cheering whenever he did something raunchy.

_All the men come in these places_  
_And the men are all the same_  
_You don't look at their faces_  
_And you don't ask their names_  
_You don't think of them as human_  
_You don't think of them at all_  
_You keep your mind on the money_  
_Keeping your eyes on the wall_  


Kurt was moving closer to Cooper now, being a bit of a tease. Bending over, dipping down like he was going to kiss Cooper, and then giving a flirtatious smile and moving away. Doing body rolls that practically had Cooper drooling. Turning around and shaking his ass in his face.

Looking at Alexi, Kurt winked, and beckoned him closer. Trying to get him to follow his moves on the other side of Cooper.

It just felt uncomfortable. Cooper was a good-looking man, but he did absolutely nothing for Alexi. He could see Cooper checking him out, liking what he saw, and it just made him feel dirty. He turned away, still dancing, but not watching Cooper or Kurt anymore.

_I want to make a million dollars_  
_I want to live out by the sea_  
_Have a husband and some children_  
_Yeah, I guess I want a family_  
_All the men come in these places..._

The no touching rule didn't seem to apply to dancers. Kurt squatted in front of Cooper, bracing himself with a hand on each knee, leaning in like he was about to go down on the older man. Stopping only a couple inches away to grin up teasingly at Cooper. Climbing over the man, straddling him on the sofa, and dancing to the song from that position.

The song ended, and Alexi wanted the session to be over. But another song started up, and Kurt was getting right into it.

Cooper bent down to pour out champagne into three glasses, and waved for them to drink. Kurt took one, so Alexi followed his lead.

As he bent down to pick up the glass, half-drunk Cooper reached out and pulled on the ribbon on Alexi's mask. "You are far too gorgeous to hide behind this. Let's see your whole face."

Things happened quickly then. It was almost instantaneous. Alexi gasped, grabbing for his mask as it slipped off his face, the mask soon in Cooper's hand. Kurt turned to see what Cooper was talking about and swore loudly. Dave spun around and saw the two performers glaring at the customer. He had superstar Cooper Anderson in a headlock within seconds. Alexi was quite impressed. The best thing that had happened all night.

"We told you the rules, Mr. Anderson. No touching the performers. No taking clothes off them." Dave explained, his voice surprisingly calm, as he dragged the handsome man towards the door.

"It was just a mask," Cooper whined, struggling to get free. He blinked his big blue eyes at Kurt, looking for leniency, and turning the beseeching gaze towards Alexi.

Right away, his expression sobered. "Blaine? Is that you?"

"What?!" Alexi said, but already his head was starting to pound, and he dropped on to the sofa, covering his face with his hands. Cooper’s words seemed to be echoing loudly, again and again.

"Did you hurt him?" Kurt asked, looking confused and outraged. He rushed to Alexi's side, putting a comforting arm around him.

Dave was trying to open the door, but Cooper was really struggling now. "Blaine! Blaine! Let me go, you oaf! He's my brother!"

"Brother? Blaine?" Kurt repeated, waving to Dave to let Cooper go.

...

It took another hour to talk it all out. Kurt turned off the music, and the private room just seemed depressing with the lights all turned on and the champagne cleared away.

Angela has been summoned when Cooper started yelling at Kurt and Dave, accusing them of sexual slavery. "My little brother disappears for a week, and by pure fluke I find him here? Forced to prostitute himself just to eat? Or do you already have him addicted to heroine, doing your bidding for his daily fix?"

"Calm down, Mr. Anderson. Nothing like that is happening here," Angela said in her most soothing tone.

"How the hell did he even end up here? He lives in San Francisco!" Cooper continued to rant, pointing and gesturing at each one of them in turn. "Do your sex slavers troll around the Castro theatre, plucking up naive virgins?"

Kurt seemed quite taken by this passionate display of outrage, but was also sitting curled up around Alexi, protecting him. Often whispering soothing words in his ear, and rubbing his back. Trying not to chuckle at the term ‘naive virgins’. That certainly didn’t apply to Alexi. 

"Mr. Anderson!" Angela bellowed, stopping his tirade. "Shut the fuck up and sit down. Let's figure this out." She was small but mighty.

Kurt was shocked when the big movie star did as he was directed.

"Now," said Angela in a calmer tone. "You claim this man is your brother. Do you have any proof?"

Cooper frowned at her for a minute and then pulled out his phone. A few swipes later, he was showing them all pictures of the two of them together, going back years, posted on his private Instagram and Facebook.

"Really, he disappeared last weekend. I wasn't notified until he didn't show up at work in Monday. I'm listed as 'next of kin' in his file, since our parents are assholes. I've been going crazy all week, talking to all of his friends, his ex-boyfriend, his co-workers."

Kurt nodded, clearly believing him now. "Did he work a full day on Friday? He was attacked here late Friday night."

Dave nodded, following his logic. "It’s a six hour drive."

"Wait," Cooper held up his hands. "Blaine was attacked?" He sounded distressed at the this, on the verge of tears.

Blaine lifted his head, finally looking at his brother. Cooper made a little motion and Blaine ran straight to him, cuddling against his chest.

"Blainey, Blainey, what happened? What did they do to you?" Cooper murmured, kissing against Blaine's temple, holding him tight. Every inch a big brother.

"We didn't do anything but help him. Kurt found him almost unconscious outside the club's back door. Who hurt him?" Angela said, looking tired.

Blaine lifted a tear-stained face from his brother's shirt. He looked like he had been to hell and back. "My memories are back now. I know what happened." His voice was hardly a shaky whisper.

He grabbed a tissue to wipe his face, and blow his nose. "I drove down here after work on Friday, leaving the office around four pm. I made pretty good time. I figured I'd be able to sneak into the man's apartment and find what I needed. He probably would be working until 2 am or later. Plenty of time."

"You broke into someone's apartment. Why?" Cooper asked, holding his hand.

"For you, Coop. Some lowlife piece of shit recorded you getting frisky with a man, and contacted me for blackmail. Threatening to expose that you are gay, and ruining your whole career."

"Oh Blaine. You should have told me. I could have paid someone to handle it. Kept you out of danger," Cooper said softly. "My career isn't worth your safety."

"So, did you find the recording?" Kurt asked, knowing Blaine had nothing on him except clothes when he found him.

Blaine shook his head. "No, because the wonder twins arrived, and they thought I was one of the baddies."

"They weren't baddies?" Dave interjected.

"Apparently not. I tried to explain, but they thought I was lying, and one of them got over-enthusiastic in trying to coerce me to tell the truth. I think I passed out for a while," Blaine said, absentmindedly rubbing that sore spot. "When I came to, they were taking everything out of my pockets and talking about where to throw my body."

"Sounds like baddies to me," Dave grumbled to himself.

"What happened then?" Kurt asked, glaring at Dave to be quiet.

"The blackmailer came back to the apartment and found us all there. He ran off and they chased after him. In the meantime, I got the hell out of there," Blaine said, his big eyes seeming even larger than normal.

Kurt nodded. "That makes sense. You got part way down the alley before you passed out. That's why you didn't have a wallet or anything."

Angela chuckled. "No wonder those thugs kept looking for you! Imagine how freaked out they would have been, coming back and finding their 'body' gone."

"They must have figured out that Blaine he escaped. They wouldn't have been showing his picture around if they thought he was dead," Dave pointed out.

"Well, Blaine and I can sort all that out with the LAPD, once my little brother has twelve hours of sleep, a meal and a hair appointment," Cooper stated, ruffling Blaine's blue curls. "You look like a Muppet like this."

Blaine seemed to revert to a younger version of himself around Cooper. He simply stuck his tongue out at him defiantly.

"Um, wait," Kurt spoke up, as Cooper was guiding Blaine towards the door. "We'd like to say our goodbyes. Can you wait outside?"

Cooper looked at Angela, Dave and Kurt, and then nodded. "Thank you for taking care of him, for keeping him safe. We are each other's family, you know?" He seemed about to cry, and he ducked out of the room.

Dave held his hand out to Blaine. "Well, it's been interesting getting to know you a little, the last couple days. We should all go out for dinner sometime, when things calm down, OK?"

They shook hands, and Blaine thanked him for his help. Dave nodded at Angela and Kurt in goodbye, and slipped out of the room.

Angela stepped forward next, giving Blaine a long hug. "It will be strange calling you Blaine, but I guess it suits you better than Alexi. Take care of yourself, dear."

"Thank you, Angela. You did so much for me. You are really incredible," Blaine snuffed, reaching for another tissue.

Grabbing some tissues herself, Angela waved as she walked out.

Instantly, Kurt and Blaine were holding each other tight, both crying. The whole week had been an emotional roller coaster, and it was a big relief to have the imminent danger gone.

"Kurt, Kurt, Kurt, Kurt..." Blaine whispered, his voice rough, sounding lost.

"I know, I know," Kurt said back, digging his hands into those blue curls and pulling this man closer, kissing him. So happy for him, but desperately sad too.

Pulling back, Kurt stared at the man he had been living with all week. He had the same slim, muscular body, olive skin and full lips. Same crazy curly blue hair. Same triangular dark eyebrows and thick eyelashes surrounding his large eyes. He gazed into his eyes last, afraid of what he would see there.

It was just as he feared. It was like looking at Alexi’s twin. A different man was looking out from those beautiful amber eyes. A man formed by his past, decades of experiences, things Kurt knew nothing about. Kurt’s eyes filled with tears, and he sank down on to the sofa, overcome with grief. Alexi was gone forever.

Blaine sat next to him, stroking his back, holding his hand. Doing all the right things. It just made Kurt cry harder.

When he finally looked back at Blaine, he could see how wretched he was feeling too. “I’m so, so sorry, Bl-Blaine.” The name felt strange and awkward. "This is for the best. You know it is. You know now, all those things you wondered about all week. Go back to your life with fresh eyes, and be thankful for every part of it."

"Come with me, Kurt. You'd love San Francisco. There's room in my apartment for you, for everything," Blaine said quickly.

Kurt shook his head. "I'll be going back to New York soon. It's where I belong now."

Blaine took his hand. "Stay with me until you go there, then. Live rent free with me."

Tears were still streaming down Kurt's face. "This is hard now. It will even be harder if we put it off," he said firmly, brushing the tears away with impatient fingers. "Think of this week as a mini vacation from your regular life. Some adventure, seeing new things, a fling with a mysterious stranger. But it's time to go home now. Vacation's over."

"You are truly an amazing man, Kurt- Oh fuck! I don't even know your real name," Blaine gave a sound that was a half-sob, half-laugh.

Swallowing hard, Kurt stuck out his hand. "Kurt Elizabeth Hummel."

Nodding, Blaine shook his hand. "Blaine Devon Anderson."

Hands still clasped tight, they leaned in for a final, lingering kiss. Saying goodbye.

...

-A/N: Oh my.... (please don't murder me)...

-Private Dancer: Tina Turner’s classic 1984 hit. “The song was originally intended for Dire Straits' album Love over Gold. The instrumental track was recorded, but Mark Knopfler considered the lyrics unsuitable for a male singer, so the track was cut.” Tina Turner was quoted as saying, “Someone said, 'Why did you select "Private Dancer"? It's a song about a hooker. Is it because you've been a hooker?' And I was shocked... I didn't see her as a hooker... I can be naive about some of these things. But actually the answer is no. I took it because it was an unusual song. I'd never sung a song like it.” (Wikipedia) [Video.](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x292sj)


	10. Later...

The audience sprang to their feet, applauding enthusiastically, the minute the curtain dropped. Kurt moved back on to the stage, clasping hands with the other performers, and waiting until the curtain was raised again. 

They all smiled, beaming at the audience, basking in their approval. They took turns stepping forward, getting individual attention. Kurt was the last one to step forward, folding himself over in a deep bow. The applause reached thunderous levels, and he sent smiling nods to each area when he straightened back up.

Finally, the curtain came down. The cast disbursed, saying quick goodbyes to each other, many patting Kurt on the back or the shoulder as a sign of respect. 

He took off his Elizabethan ruff, and rubbed his neck where the stiff fabric had been digging in a little, going back to the dressing room. He soon had his costume off, and was cold creaming away the heavy face paint when a younger student passed him a note before scampering away. 

**Could we meet privately? Hopefully it won’t cost me as much as last time.**  
**-C Anderson**

Kurt set the letter down, and finished with his ablutions. 

...

“Mr. Anderson, I presume?” Kurt drawled, looking at the man wearing a white blond wig that reminded Kurt of Lucius Malfoy, a character from Harry Potter. 

Cooper jumped up, drawing Kurt into a real hug. “Kurt, good to see you after all this time.”

“Likewise,” Kurt replied, and waved Cooper along the corridor. “There are practice rooms here for singers. We can speak freely there.”

The school was mostly empty this time of night. Kurt found a suitable space and closed the door. Cooper pulled off his wig and sat on the only chair, so Kurt sat in front of the piano, on the bench, and tinkled around with the keys idly. 

“Why are you here, Cooper?”

“In New York? Oh, I had a meeting about a possible TV pilot. Maybe playing a pilot,” he grinned, looking gorgeous as always, with his square jaw, big eyes and perfect teeth. 

“No, here. At my school. At my performance,” Kurt glanced up from the piano. Funny how he had none of his old starstruck feelings for this man anymore. 

“Just to check in and say ‘Hi’, really. There’s been a bit of buzz around you in the arts community here, and I thought I’d give it a try.”

Kurt nodded. “What did you think?”

Cooper’s eyebrows rose. “Not at all what I was expecting for a student production. Did you really write it?”

Kurt gave a small chuckle at that. “You do realize it’s an adaptation? It’s based on what superstitious thespians refer to as 'The Scottish Play’.”

“Yes,” Cooper said dismissively. “But you are the one who pared it down to its essence, gender-switched the roles and renamed it ‘Spot!’, right?”

“One ‘Tide to Go’ pen, and her sanity could have been saved. It is quite a tragedy, really,” Kurt drawled dryly.

That got a chuckle out of the actor. “If I get this TV series, I’ll move to my apartment here. I like New York. But I doubt Blaine will stay with me, even though he quit his job and got rid of his apartment in San Francisco.”

The mention of that name send a small jolt through Kurt, a twinge of the old pain. Everyday it was a bit less, a bit easier to bear. “Oh, why is that?”

Cooper sighed. “He can't bear to be here. He says the thought of...seeing you or hearing about you...”

“Oh, please don’t change your plans because of me. You two are so close, and I shouldn’t be the reason you see each other less,” Kurt said quickly, feeling sad. “Frankly, I might not be living here much longer.”

“Really? I was under the impression that you had been working hard to come back to New York, and finish your degree.” Cooper waved around at the school. “You haven’t been back long, and already you are making your mark. Excelling.”

Kurt got up, pacing around the room. “Yes, but everything feels different now. I’m different! I should be ecstatic over the response this play is getting, but it all feels dull and distant.”

He slid down the wall, sitting on the floor with his knees bent, resting his face against them. He had only worked another month in LA, with everything tinged by Blaine’s presence. He was ready to make a fresh start. Leave it all behind. New York was an exciting, vibrant city and he would throw himself into one of the most challenging performance arts programs. He wouldn’t be able to even think about Blaine anymore. He’d be too busy. 

But it hadn’t been like that. He got back into the student lifestyle easily, and looked young enough to be accepted. But years of developing his own choreography and telling a story non-verbally had been their own teaching ground, and his singing had always been his strongest skill. He quickly rose to the top, stunned at the accolades. Feeling moments of pleasure at it, but it didn’t fill that void. The void he thought he could leave behind in LA. 

“Forgive me, my dear, but you seem to be in a bit of a muddle,” Cooper said, offering a hand to pull Kurt back up. “All the light's gone out of your pretty face, just like it's gone out of Blaine’s. I can't bear to see you both so unhappy.”

The words pushed Kurt over the edge, and he felt embarrassed, pressing his face harder against his knees, trying to stop crying. Cooper moved his hand to run it over his hair in a comforting gesture. 

“And now I’ve made you cry. I’m so, so sorry, Kurt,” Cooper said, his voice rough with emotion too. 

Kurt lifted his face, knowing it was probably red and blotchy, his eyes swollen from crying. “I want to leave here, but it’s just so impossible. My tuition is paid, and I’m involved in so many projects...” He sighed, shoulders drooping. 

“There's only one thing impossible,” Cooper said gently, his hand still on Kurt’s hair. “That's to love... and to part.”

That sent Kurt on another wave of crying, and Cooper pulled him up into his arms, holding him tightly, swaying with him as he stroked his back. Kurt simply dropped his face to his strong shoulder and let it all out. All the pain he’d been pushing down. 

“It’s true, isn’t it? You were only together one week, but you love Blaine. You love the boy, body and soul, as he loves you,” Cooper said softly. 

Kurt nodded, unable to deny it anymore. He felt cracked open and raw. “But of course I do. What did you all think?”

Cooper pulled back, his blue eyes searching Kurt’s, and then he gave a tentative smile. “Then....?”

Kurt scoffed, feeling miserable again. “Then what? I have to finish things here. I have commitments. They trust me.”

Sighing, Cooper dropped his arms and stepped back. He ran his hand through his hair, leaving it messy for once. “Why should they?” he said a bit sharply, walking over to pick up his wig and yank it back on. “When you deceived everyone...including yourself.”

With that, he left the room. Trust Cooper Anderson to make a dramatic exit. 

It was impossible. Where was Blaine even living if he wasn’t in San Francisco or LA? Was he feeling just as lost and confused as Kurt was? Was this what love felt like? Even if they were together, it wouldn’t be the same. Blaine wasn’t Alexi. Kurt loved Alexi, not Blaine. He didn’t even know Blaine.

... 

The taxi stopped, and Kurt climbed out, giving a generous tip. He only had two bags with him, and was able to manage them. 

Looking down at the letter from Cooper, Kurt was pretty sure he was at the right place. He read the directions for the fiftieth time, and gathered his nerves. He had come this far. He couldn’t fail going the last 100 yards or so. 

The driveway from the main road wasn’t paved, or that smooth. Kurt watched where he was walking; glancing around at the tall Douglas fir trees that surrounded him like silent sentinels. Rusty cultured pine needles covered the rocky ground, softening his footfalls. 

Around a curve, he could see a few buildings scattered amongst the trees and greenery. Kurt glanced at the letter again, being guided to the main house by the words. It was made of weathered, grey wood, a couple stories tall, but not very large. 

Kurt walked up the wooden steps and set down his bags. It took everything he had to knock firmly on the door. His heart was pounding hard, and he needed to wipe his sweaty palms against his jeans. 

Finally, he heard footsteps inside, and the door opened. Blaine was standing there, frozen in place, staring at Kurt in shock. 

Kurt didn’t mind. It gave him time to look the man over. His hair was still curly, but dark brown now and a bit longer. Wilder. There was a full beard on his lower face, and it suited him. His amber brown eyes were still his best feature, so big and expressive. He was dressed in a deep red hoody with the word ‘Believe’ across the chest in dull gold elaborate capital letters. Baggy, faded jeans with a rip on one knee completed the look.

He was scruffy and messy. Beautiful. Kurt had forgotten how damn beautiful he was. 

“Kurt,” Blaine said finally, and he looked out past him, like he expected other people to be with him. All the strippers from the club? Angela, Dave and Sebastian? Or maybe Cooper. 

“Cooper told me where you were,” Kurt fumbled to say. Unsure of his welcome. “Encouraged me to come here.”

Blaine sighed. “Of course he did. Well, come on in then, if Cooper invited you.”

It was very rustic and simple. Bare, unfinished wood walls, a kitchen of handmade cabinets and open shelves. Blaine put the kettle on, and sank down at a long wooden table, moving a pile of books out of his way. 

“He said you quit your job, and moved out of your apartment,” Kurt said cautiously, easing onto a chair. Treating Blaine like a wild animal that might spook and run away. 

The water boiled and Blaine filled two handmade mugs, adding tea bags. He sat back down, and Kurt accepted the hot beverage. Grateful for this little act of hospitality. A sign he wasn’t completely unwelcome. 

“It sounds like Cooper has been saying a lot. More than he should,” Blaine said, crossing his legs. “He told me that you quit school and left New York.”

Kurt almost choked on the hot tea in his mouth, but managed to swallow it down, sputtering a bit. “You are right. He’s talking far too much.”

Blaine chuckled a bit at that, and it warmed Kurt far more than the tea. 

“So, you’ve been out here since then?” Kurt asked, looking out the kitchen window, seeing the other buildings a little here and there. 

He nodded. “I needed somewhere quiet to sort out my thoughts. Remember everything from the past. Figure out who I am again.”

“Are your memories mostly returned then?”

His mouth tightened. “Yeah, I think so. Except the night I was attacked, and the day after. It’s bits and pieces, fuzzy at times.”

“I’m glad you are feeling better, Blaine.” 

Blaine scoffed, fidgeting with the string on his tea bag. “Are you? Getting my memories back lost you a husband.”

“A fake husband,” Kurt corrected, feeling relieved that Blaine has brought it up, but also feeling the hurt. The ache. 

Blaine grabbed a wooden box from a nearby counter, and dug through it. “That reminds me. I should probably give you this back.”

He held out a gold ring.

Kurt stared at it, trying to hold back the tears that were always too close to the surface these days. “It’s Angela’s. From an ex-husband, I think. Send it back to her if you don’t want it.”

Blaine dropped the ring back in the box, and his eyes fell to the ring on Kurt’s finger. “You are still wearing yours.”

“It was my father’s,” Kurt said defensively, twisting the ring.

But Blaine cocked his head to the side slightly. “You moved back to New York, ready to jump back into school and living there, and you kept your fake wedding ring on? Wouldn’t that cramp your style at the clubs?”

“Is that what I was doing in New York? Partying? Hooking up with strangers?” Kurt asked, tilting his head to the side to challenge Blaine right back. 

“Did they call you the Ice Prince at that school too?”

Kurt scoffed, looking away. “I felt more like a zombie my whole time there. Half alive, just going through the motions, trying to act normal. Trying to care.”

“Me too,” Blaine said softly, looking down at his cup. “When I went back to San Francisco.”

When he finally met his eyes, Kurt could see he had been hurting just as much. He stretched his hand across the table, and almost cried when Blaine clutched it. 

“Why did I miss you so, so much?” Kurt asked, blinking hard. Trying not to lose it. 

“Fuck this,” Blaine said roughly, and yanked Kurt out of his chair. Somehow they were standing, hugging hard. 

Kurt’s hand went right into Blaine’s curls, pulling his face in tight against his neck. His own face was pressed against his shoulder. It felt so good, so right. 

They stood like that for ages, soaking in the sweet familiar feel of each other. Of being close. How they smelled. Kurt’s heart calming down. Feeling a sense a peace he hadn’t had for months. 

When Blaine shifted, Kurt clutched at him, making him chuckle. “I’m not going far. Just to the washroom and then I’ll heat up some chili. We can eat in front of the fire.”

Within thirty minutes they were cuddled up together under a thick blanket, a fire crackling before them, warming their outstretched feet. They were digging into big bowls of chili, and dipping in sourdough bread slathered in butter. Blaine explained how many of his neighbors made things, like the bread coming from the baker down the road and the beer from a guy in town. 

Kurt ate every bite, feeling hungrier than he had in ages. “That was delicious. Thanks, Blaine.” He took a big swing of beer, but managed to spill a bit down his chin, trickling down his neck. “Oh, shit,” Kurt said, setting the bottle down and looking around for a paper napkin to mop himself up, flushing with embarrassment at his clumsiness.

“Shhh...it’s OK. I’ll take care of it,” Blaine said softly, and he leaned in. It was all the warning Kurt got before he felt warm lips on his neck, slurping up the beer from his skin, tracing the trail upwards. 

It ended in a hot kiss, both of them sinking right into it. It was so familiar, but with unusual things too. The tickle of beard against his skin, the way Blaine smelled now. “Mmmmm Al-Blaine,” Kurt moaned, almost saying the wrong name when Blaine kissed along his neck. 

It kind of killed the moment, and Blaine shifted away from Kurt with a sigh. “This isn’t working, is it?”

“No, no, don’t say that, please!” Kurt said, grabbing Blaine’s hand. “It’s just me, being that stupid way that I am.” He huffed in frustration, unable to think of the word. “You had a label for it.”

“Demisexual,” Blaine muttered, taking a swig from his beer. 

“Exactly!” Kurt said, cuddling up along his side, still holding his hand. “Look, we both been through a lot of changes the last few months, and we need a chance to get to know each other, as we are now. I’m no longer a L.A. stripper with dreams of Broadway.”

“And I’m no longer Alexi,” Blaine said flatly, staring into the fire. 

Kurt waited until he looked back, and held his gaze. He lifted his left hand, pulling off the ring, and putting it on his right hand. “And I am no longer Alexi’s husband.” 

Blaine got the symbolism, gathering Kurt close. They stared into the fire, drank more beer, and talked all night. Getting to know each other as they were now.

...

“Hmmmm...what are you making?” Blaine asked, popping his head on to Kurt’s shoulder. 

“Shortbread with lavender. Jane gave me the recipe,” Kurt said, turning to lean against the kitchen counter, gazing at his boyfriend. “You have wood shavings in your beard,” he tutted, pulling the larger ones out.

“Perhaps you should groom me everyday like a monkey. You can eat any bugs you find,” Blaine grinned.

Kurt rolled his eyes. “That will probably become the next thing around here. You should have warned me that I’d be living surrounded by neo-hippies.” 

“Warn you! You showed up on my doorstep with luggage!” 

“And I’ve made every day better, haven’t I?” Kurt smirked. 

“Fishing for compliments, are you?” Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt’s waist, and pulled him close for a long kiss. “Mmmm come back to bed. I’m better at showing you than using words.”

“It’s the middle of the day! You just want to leave Sam out there in the blazing sun, while we siesta?” 

“He’s got a cooler of beer and a hammock nearby. I’m sure he’ll figure it out when I don’t come back right away.” Blaine said, pulling Kurt towards the stairs. 

It had been an adjustment, putting away the cellphones and clocks, and just going with the day. Waking up without an alarm clock, sleeping when you felt tired. Putting in a good days work. Working in the garden or building something instead of going to a gym. Pulling on a hat instead of elaborately styling your hair. 

It was the type of lifestyle that let Kurt sink onto to the edge of their bed, and slowly pull off his boyfriend’s clothes, admiring how the late afternoon sun made his skin glow. He took his time, his hands stroking down his back. Living here had given them both more muscles than they had before. 

Blaine pushed Kurt flat on the bed, his hands deftly dealing with all his buttons and zips. Kurt was cold more often than Blaine, so tended to wear more layers. He had gotten used to them. 

With his hands on his waistband, Blaine pulled down his pants and underwear when Kurt lifted his hips off the bed. As always, Blaine’s eyes were drawn to Kurt’s cock, and his hands and mouth soon followed. 

“Fuck, Blaine, you are getting far too good at that,” Kurt gasped, his hand in Blaine’s hair, tugging it a little when he hit a perfect spot. He propped another pillow behind his head, getting a better view of Blaine, looking so sexy as he sucked and licked. These months with him had made Kurt much more open with his sexuality. Much more comfortable with what he had, and confident that his boyfriend not only liked it, but had developed a bit of a size kink. 

Blaine crawled up on to the bed. “OK, time for you to fuck me now,” he announced, on all fours. 

Kurt chuckled, getting behind him, and seeing the butt plug, “Mmmmm you naughty boy. You planned this.”

With getting to know each other better, they had explored everything sexually they both felt comfortable with. They both bottomed, but knew it just took more time to prep Blaine. The butt plug was a way to speed things up. 

Pulling it out, he put lube on his fingers and his cock, making sure Blaine was ready. He was able to push in, slow and steady, about three quarters of the way. 

Blaine was already panting and squirming underneath him, stroking his own cock. “Kurt, please, please, fuck me,” he gasped. 

Kurt rocked and pressed deeper, alternating long strokes with short teasing ones. Knowing that when Blaine got really close, just to push deep and savor the way his body spasmed around his cock. Pushing in the rest of the way right at the end of Blaine’s orgasm, making it go on even longer. 

“You’ve fucking ruined me for any other man,” Blaine gasped, regaining his breath. 

Chuckling, Kurt rolled them over, lying on his back with Blaine still on top of him. He savored his weight, and having his cock still completely inside him. His hands ran down Blaine’s body, letting him savor the afterglow. “You did the same for me.”

He knew the tricks to get Blaine aroused again. Soft bites on his neck, clenching his hands on his hips, spreading his legs to stroke along his inner thighs. But today he wanted something else. “Get up here.”

Blaine knew what he meant, and he slowly moved off Kurt, and crawled over him. Kurt took his soft cock into his mouth, suckling it gently as he stroked his balls, lightly squeezing and tugging. He loved feeling his cock getting harder, longer, right against his tongue. His own cock got harder and thicker, but didn’t change as much in length. Blaine’s was more of a grower than a ‘show-er’. 

They were both very ready by the time Blaine eased down on to Kurt’s cock. It was fast and hard, until Kurt rolled them over, bending Blaine practically in half to really pound into him, with Blaine begging for more. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Kurt rolled off to the side a few minutes later, trying to catch his breath. It had been so intense. 

Blaine chuckled at that. Kurt didn’t swear that much usually. “Are you doing OK?”

Kurt looked over to him. “Um, who are you? Who am I? Where are we?”

“Ha ha,” Blaine said with a smirk, and leaned over to kiss him. “I know they say you kill a few brain cells with each orgasm, but I don’t think we’ve gone that far yet.”

“Alexi, is that you?” Kurt kept up the act. “Why don’t you have a Russian accent, Alexi?”

“Why are you talking about other men when you are in bed with me, Kurt?” Blaine played along, pouting. “Aren’t I enough for you?”

Kurt was about to joke back, but saw the way Blaine’s eyes went to the gold ring on his right hand. 

Taking Blaine’s hand, he placed a kiss on the back of it. “I’m not a religious man, Blaine, but I almost wish I was so could thank God everyday that your brother is gay.”

The statement got a funny look, and Blaine tried to tug his hand away. “And now you are bringing up Cooper?”

“Let me finish,” Kurt smirked. “Because if he wasn’t gay, you never would have driven down from San Fran to try to save his stupid ass. You never would have been left for dead in a seedy apartment and crawled your way down that back alley. I never would have found you and taken you home like a smelly, stray mongrel.”

“Smelly!” Blaine said, trying harder to pull his hand away now. 

“Never would I have missed you so bad that I left as soon as I could to go back to New York. Never would I have realized it was an old dream, and not one I hold dear anymore. And I sure as fucking hell wouldn’t be living in some wannabe commune with a bunch of unshaven hipsters and making organic lavender shortbread on a Tuesday afternoon. Never would I have met you, the love of my life.”

Blaine looked at bit stunned, and then his eyes softened. True heart eyes that Kurt could sink in to forever. “I love you, Kurt Elizabeth Hummel.”

“I love you too, Blaine Devon Alexi Anderson,” Kurt said, unable to resist the small joke. 

Rolling his eyes, Blaine sighed. “You better not say my name that way when we get married.”

“When?” Kurt feigned being shocked. “No if? You don’t have some choreographed proposal planned with multiple video cameras taking in every angle?”

He shook his head. “Maybe if I was in my old life, working as a stock broker and caring more about how my life looks from the outside. But now, we know we love each other, and we have already started to build a life here that we love. Now, I just want our friends and family gathered here, getting married at midnight under a full moon, and singing and dancing under the stars all night.”

“A bacchanalian feast! Yes!” Kurt laughed, kissing Blaine hard. 

...

And that’s just what they did. 

...

-A/B: Ha! What a crazy story! And you made it to the end. You deserve a medal. There will be an epilogue chapter, explaining more about their life together now.

-MacBeth: William Shakespeare’s 1606 bloodbath of a play, the original Game of Thrones. MacBeth kills the king to get the throne & has to keep killing to keep it. His wife, Lady MacBeth, proves to be the worst accomplice ever, going crazy with guilt, pacing around and trying to rub blood off her hands, saying things like “Out, out, damn spot!” And “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” [Funny 3 min Summary.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rFtCYESosDw)

-The Scottish Play: Superstitious actors call the play this instead of ‘MacBeth’ because they think it’s cursed. There are certain restrictions around when you can say the ‘M’ word and lines from the play, and if you break them, you must perform a ritual to remove the curse, like leaving the theatre, spinning three times, spitting, cursing, and then knocking to be allowed back in. [2 min clip ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h--HR7PWfp0) from Black Adder that spoofs this with a slightly different version of the ritual.

-Room With a View: A ‘1908 novel by English writer E. M. Forster, about a young woman in the restrained culture of Edwardian era England. Set in Italy and England, the story is both a romance and a humorous critique of English society at the beginning of the 20th century. Merchant Ivory produced an award-winning film adaptation in 1985.’ (Wikipedia). I love this movie & paid homage (ie: blatantly stole) to the scene of Lucy talking to Mr. Emerson for the Kurt/Cooper scene. [2 min video.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk7q-C9eyao)

-Believe sweatshirt: Blaine’s red sweatshirt is from the San Francisco ‘49ers NFL team merch line. The team was formed in 1946 and the “name "49ers" comes from the prospectors who arrived in Northern California in the 1849 Gold Rush.” The teams colours are scarlet red and gold. [Link. ](https://diehardleague.com/Fanatics/49ers-hoodie/)

-California Gold Rush: Gold was discovered in January 1848, and over 300,000 people from all over the US and abroad rushed to the area. Gold-seekers were called "forty-niners", since that was the peak year of migration. California went from a thinly populated ex-Mexican territory, to becoming a state in 1850, with roads, churches, schools and towns springing up. San Francisco grew from a small settlement of about 200 residents in 1846 to a boomtown of about 36,000 by 1852. Gold worth tens of billions of today's US dollars was recovered, which led to great wealth for a few, but most ended up with little more than they started with, and faced great hardships. (Wikipedia)


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Near the end of the chapter, there is a sex scene with some light bondage you can skip if that’s not your thing. I didn’t tag for it, since it’s not a big part of the story.  
> There’s a shmoopy bit afterwards.

“Watch your step here,” Kurt said, pulling back a tarp over the doorway for his guest to step through. 

Angela looked around, her hazel eyes huge. “This is great, Kurt! But why do you need a stage out in the middle of the woods?” She was dressed in skin-tight jeans, a fitted plaid shirt in fuchsia, and her blond hair in two braids. It was her version of a ‘country’ look.

He beckoned her to follow him up the stairs on the side, looking out over the half-finished space with satisfaction. “It’ll be good for fitness classes, since the students can see me better up here. And musical students will give a performance at the end of their stay.” 

Grinning her way, he went over to the side of the stage, and came back with a long pole. It was easy to slot it into the metal holder in the floor, and click it into place on the ceiling. “And of course, this was essential too. Try it out.”

“No fucking way!” Angela said, kicking off her shoes and yanking against the pole to see how stable it was. Satisfied, she put a hand up high to spin her weight around the pole, one ankle curling around it. 

Kurt applauded. “Not bad!”

She went through a few other spins, her fitness level showing with the ease she moved, still quite graceful despite being in her fifties. She was a bit winded by the time she was slipping her shoes back on. 

“Come on, the kitchen area is more finished than this part,” Kurt said as he went down the steps. 

He stopped in front of an industrial sized fridge, and looked over the contents. “Water, juice, or something more adult?”

Angela just winked at him. “I’m on vacation, baby. What do you think?”

Pulling out a couple glasses, he added lots of ice. “As if that ever stopped you at work,” Kurt smirked, happy to see his old friend. He pulled out a bottle from a locked cabinet, and saw her eyes light up. 

“You got that for me?” Angela said, looking touched. 

Kurt glanced down at the unopened bottle. “Well, no one else has been asking for it. You better finish off this whole bottle before you go home.” He added a healthy glug of the bubblegum flavoured vodka to the drink, and filled the remainder with club soda. 

As she sipped happily, he made himself a drink he’d fallen in love with during a recent visit to Vancouver. Making it extra spicy with a few dashes of Tabasco. 

“Is that a Bloody Mary?” Angela asked as they took seats near the large windows. 

“It’s similar. I know it sounds funny, but the tomato juice has a bit of clam broth and some spices in it,” Kurt took a long sip and crunched on the pickled asparagus spear he had garnished it with. 

Angela looked him over assessingly, and then nodded. “You look truly happy here, Kurt. I never would have picked this type of place for you, but it’s obviously working. Or is that just being in love?”

Kurt chuckled, looking down at his wedding ring, back on his left hand where it belonged. “I wouldn’t have picked it either. But Blaine was here, and by the time we’d gotten to know each other again and-“

“Fucked like rabbits for a month,” Angela cut in with a devilish smirk.

Rolling his eyes, Kurt could only smirk back at her. There had been a few weeks of constant sex in the beginning. Barely getting out of bed to eat and shower, usually together. Both just hungry for each other, hardly able to be apart. 

Finally, he just shrugged a shoulder. “Let’s just say that the place grew on me.” 

He had never lived somewhere so rural before. It had been an adjustment, going from the constant hum of big cities like Los Angeles and New York, to this almost silent place. Often the only sound was the distant waves. He had learned to become more in tune with the natural world, and his own body. Sleeping until he naturally woke up, usually with the sun streaming across their bed. Cuddling with Blaine for lazy morning sex. Taking the time to cook good food from scratch, since there were no restaurants nearby. Daily walks along their rocky patch of shoreline, looking for tidal pools. Admiring the whales and other sea life. Putting around the property, doing whatever needed to get done, and snuggling in front of the fire at night with books. Going to bed when they were tired. 

“Do you really need to have students here? Isn’t Cooper Anderson just letting you live here free? If not, I have some video at my club you could probably blackmail him with,” Angela said, finishing her drink and getting up to pour herself another. In full vacation spirit already. 

Kurt laughed easily. “You know he’s out now, so you won’t get anything for that.” 

Cooper had found out that the blackmailer hadn’t only sent a demand letter to Blaine, but also to the head of the studio that made the Rex Matthews movies. They were the ones who had sent the thugs to retrieve the video and scare the blackmailer into keeping quiet. He had witnessed the attack on Blaine, thinking they had killed him, and had been quite terrified. Had stayed at a friend’s place to keep from being found. 

It was all settled now, with the studio working with Cooper’s people on a press release about his sexuality. They had no idea how many copies of the video were out there, and wanted to thwart any future blackmail attempts. It had gone over well, with Cooper working the talk show circuit with the story, keeping most of his old fans and winning over every gay man worldwide. He had already been the Parade Marshall at three Gay Prides.

Kurt finished his drink and set the glass down. “We have some savings, and Cooper gave the property to us as a wedding present. He says it’s too remote for the dream vacation home he was thinking of building here, but I think that translates to the locals not being into his movies enough to fawn all over him.”

Angela scoffed, putting her feet up on an ottoman. “If you don’t need to work, why do you?” 

“We are only thirty! We want to have the challenge of trying new things, of learning and growing. Plus, getting our own money to live and travel and retire as grumpy old men together,” Kurt said, his voice getting soft at the end. The idea of being with Blaine the rest of his life felt perfectly normal now. He was ‘The One’. Kurt knew it with every cell in his body, every breath he took. And that certainty gave him the security and happiness to want to try anything. 

“OK, OK...” Angela waved an calming hand, already showing signs of being tipsy. “So, what is the grand plan here?”

Kurt shrugged, his eyes gleaming. “We have lots of ideas, and will just have to try things to see what works. We looked at what was already on the property, and Sam worked with Blaine to convert most of the old sheds and structures into cabins. Adding bathrooms to them. This old barn is the main multi-purpose building, and the walls can be configured different ways to make small rooms or large spaces. We can teach dance, music and singing in here-“

“And pole dancing,” Angela said, getting up. She grabbed Kurt’s empty glass and her own, heading back to the bar area. 

Kurt watched her pour too much vodka into his drink, and thought WTF. He was his own boss now and he knew having Angela visit would take up a lot of his time. “Sure, why not? It’s a fun workout.”

“Well, if you need a teacher...” Angela joked, as she came back with their drinks.

“Exactly!” Kurt held his glass up to clink against her’s. “We want to bring in guest teachers, giving them free accommodation in exchange for a few classes. It could be about anything, like painting, writing, meditation, or pole dancing.”

Angela chuckled. “You will need more poles to teach a whole class.”

Kurt nodded. “Yeah. That one pole is mostly just for me. I put on shows occasionally for friends.”

It was freeing, just being able to be himself here. He was able to explore his artistic side, singing, dancing and whatever else took his interest. He didn’t have to worry about his reputation, what people might think about his past. People around here were very open and accepting. 

They had already hosted some great parties here. Blaine and other musicians up on the stage, jamming all night. Cooper sent out copies of his newest movies, encouraging impromptu movie night for all the neighbors. Kurt thought Cooper was mostly still trying to win them over. 

Angela tilted her head to the side. “You could even host weddings here.”

“Yes, let them book in for the whole weekend,” Kurt agreed, liking that she was so on board with this. “Blaine also suggested running camps in the summer for gay kids. Maybe organizing it with a local PFLAG group.”

“Or reunions,” Angela said, looking over at Kurt. “I’ve missed you, Kurt.”

Leaning in, he gave her a long hug. “I miss you too. How are things going at Alex Owen’s?”

“It hasn’t been easy. When you left, fans cried out in protest. And now Sebastian is gone too,” Angela said, shifting on her chair.

Kurt looked down. “Has his trial been scheduled?”

Angela sighed, looking out the window at all the birds hopping between the bird feeders. “Not yet. He’ll likely settle out of court. Plead guilty to a lesser charge, and not serve any time. But he’ll have a permanent record.” 

“Good,” Kurt said, meeting her eyes. It turned out that he wasn’t the only one Sebastian had gone too far with over the years. When he had been charged a couple months ago, many strippers had come forward with their stories. It had been a wake up call for Angela, and she had been very supportive, bringing in therapists. “You know he did stuff to me too.”

Her eyes widened, and it looked like she was about to cry. “Oh fuck. Why didn’t you ever tell me?” 

Shifting his chair closer, he took her hand. “I was confused about it for a while. Blamed myself for challenging him so much. Thinking if I told you or the police, it would be hard to prove. And in the end, it wasn’t like he raped me. Just touched me, against my consent. I had customers do that sometimes, and we never charged them with anything.”

Angela shook her head quickly, wiping away some tears with an impatient hand. “No, Kurt. What he did was sexual assault. It came out after his arrest that he did it a lot, bullying people and pushing them into sex. Using his size to intimidate people, not backing off when they said No. He liked having people a little scared of him.”

Kurt felt strange about it. Happy that it was out there now, and people would be on their guard around Sebastian in the future. Would he change his behaviour from this? He was smart and good looking enough to probably convince people it was all bogus. Tell them it was a vengeful ex, that nothing had really happened. He was as slippery as a snake. 

“Well,” Kurt said, giving her hand a squeeze before letting go and sitting up straighter. “If you need something to help spark interest in the club, I happen to have a gorgeous brother-in-law who is newly out and loves working a crowd. Maybe I could come down for a week and put on some of my best acts, and Coop could be there doing a meet and greet? Or give stripping a go?”

“Oh, fuck me, really?” Angela looked like she had died and gone to her version of heaven. Something full of fluffy fuchsia pink clouds and lethally strong bubblegum cocktails. And hot gay men, preferably stripping to her favourite eighties songs. 

Kurt chuckled. “Hey, I’m not chained to this island, you know. I’m not so granola now that I can’t wax my unmentionables and slip into something fabulous. Coop keeps bugging Blaine for us to visit him down there.”

“Yes, yes, yes, YES! Come down for Pride! We can party all week!” Angela jumped up and seemed to be trying to dance. She was drunk enough to almost fall over instead. 

Kurt stood to steady her, chuckling at her enthusiasm. He had missed this woman. “I’ll get Blaine to dye his hair blue, for old time’s sake.”

“Yes! Now where is that little muppet? I need to hug the stuffing out of him.” The petite blonde was already heading out of the door, cocktail still in hand. 

Trailing behind her back to the main house, Kurt felt truly happy. The centre would be ready to start taking guests in a couple months, and they already had many friends willing to come out to teach classes. It would be like this, having old friends come out to stay for a week, enjoying the nature and the getaway from their normal lives. Drinking, eating good food, and teaching a few classes during the day. 

“Just because you put feta cheese in a salad, doesn’t make it instantly ‘Greek Salad’,” Kurt heard Blaine say, as he slipped off his shoes in the hallway. 

“Well, what makes it a ‘Greek Salad’, then? Black olives?” Sam replied, chuckling. 

“I think it needs tomato, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, olives and feta cheese,” Kurt said, walking over to his husband to give him a quick kiss.

Blaine whipped his arm around his waist, holding him closer to give him a longer, thorough kiss that left them both a bit breathless. “You were drinking,” he smirked, his eyes warm. 

“I have a guest. It’s only polite to offer her libations and nosh,” Kurt said back softly. He hand snuck under the hem of Blaine’s sweater, touching the warm, bare skin of his lower back. 

“Speaking of which, the chicken will be done in about an hour. There’s hummus and veggies if you want a snack.”

“Perfect,” Kurt said, giving him another quick kiss. “Um, Sam, I don’t think you’ve met Angela yet.” He turned towards his friends, and found them already looking at each other quite intensely. 

“Nice to have you here,” Sam said, extending out a hand, his smile wide. 

Angela placed her hand in his, shaking it slowly. “My, my, my. You two sure to have some gorgeous gay friends.”

“Oh, Sam is as straight as the day is long. Believe me. I got him drunk and tried to get it on with him a dozen times before I met Kurt,” Blaine chuckled, pulling the hummus and veggies out of the fridge. 

“A dozen times? Really,” Kurt drawled, unimpressed. 

Sam scoffed. “You have nothing, I mean nothing, to worry about, Kurt. I was so happy when he came back to San Francisco, but quickly got sick of him. Stupid lovesick fool, going on and on and on about how gorgeous and kind you were. Plus, you have certain ‘assets’ I could never compete with.” He flicked a gaze downwards. 

Kurt raised his eyebrows and turned towards his husband. “Is there nothing secret between us?”

“Oh, you mean the Wondershlong?” Angela said, sitting down on the sofa, a bit of her drink sloshing over with the motion. “I’m sure it’s lovely, Kurt, but I prefer a more average size. Give me a nice face and some good abs and I’m a happy woman.”

Sam sat on the other side of the sofa. “So, you live in LA? I’m in San Francisco usually.”

Blaine chuckled, taking some beers from the fridge and passing them out. He grabbed Kurt, pulling him down into an oversized chair to cuddle together. Angela and Sam were in a deep conversation about what actually went into a Greek Salad. 

Kissing up Kurt’s neck, he inhaled his scent. His hand slid along his jean-clad thigh. “Think they’d notice if we slipped upstairs for a bit?”

“Probably not. But it will be dinner time soon,” Kurt said, wiggling into a more comfortable position on Blaine’s lap. 

“Keep that up, and we won’t need to go upstairs,” Blaine groaned, his hands on Kurt’s hips. 

Kurt leaned in until their foreheads were resting against each other. “Patience, sweetheart. What I want to do with you isn’t a quickie.”

“Oh really,” Blaine said, his voice dropping into a sexy whisper. He looked down at Kurt’s lips with pure hunger. 

“Yeah,” Kurt teased. “Between how much Angela is drinking and the way Sam is eying her, I think we can get away right after supper. I’m thinking of blindfolds and handcuffs.”

“You want the ‘Sexy Stranger’?” Blaine said, his hands clenching on Kurt’s hips. 

Kurt kissed him, long and lingering. Looking at Blaine afterwards from under his eyelashes coyly. “Yes. He is so rough with me. Just using me for his pleasure.” 

Kurt had all sorts of old props and costumes left over from his stripper days. It was fun to spice things up occasionally. Playing around tonight with some light bondage.

The buzzer went off, and Blaine swore as he got up. He took the chickens out of the oven, letting them rest as he set the table. 

Kurt sat beside him at their small table, teasing Blaine by playing footsie, and tracing his hand over his thigh. Praising the work he and Sam has done to Angela, going on and on about how great the little cabins had turned out. Talking about all the environmental features around the property. Solar panels, rain barrels for irrigation, and the garden they had started, trying to grow as much food as they could. 

By the time he was offering them coffee and dessert, Blaine gave a frustrated huff. “I’m sure they can get it themselves. Cake is on the counter, ice cream in the freezer.”

“Goodnight,” Kurt managed to say to Sam and Angela, before Blaine hustled him up the stairs. 

...

Kurt loved this. Planting an idea in Blaine’s head, and teasing him, flirting with him. Making them both wait, letting the anticipation grow. 

By the time their bedroom door was closed, Blaine had pinned Kurt against it, slamming him hard against the wood, his kiss deep. Devouring. 

Kurt groaned, wrapping around him like a vine, legs around his waist, leaning back against the door. Wanting his man so much he ached.

Blaine carried him to the bed, and dumped him on it. “Strip,” he said in a rough whisper, and dug around in a dresser, collecting what he needed. 

He wasn’t surprised to see the blindfold, but the leather pieces made his heart skip a beat. 

“Arms up,” Blaine said firmly.

Obediently, Kurt put his arms up in the air, sitting on the edge of the bed. Blaine wrapped a six inch wide black belt around his waist, worn high, almost against his rib cage and quite snug. It had many straps and fasteners on it.

Lowering his arms, Blaine gave him a light kiss, and lowered to his knees on the floor before him. 

It reminded Kurt of all the blow jobs he’d enjoyed from this man, and his hard cock gave an appreciative twitch. 

But Blaine grabbed some inch-wide black straps, and attached them high around each of his thighs, his hands brushing against his balls as he worked, making Kurt let out a needy whine. 

Smirking, Blaine attached the last set to his wrists. They were well made, cushioned inside to be comfortable. He surprised Kurt by clipping the cuffs to the thigh straps, basically handcuffing his arms down along his sides. 

Stepping back, Blaine admired his handiwork. Kurt, aroused and flushed, wearing only a thick black belt, and his arms restrained against his thighs. “Beautiful.”

He started taking off his own clothing then, letting Kurt watch as his chest was revealed. Even though he wore sunscreen, the hours working outside had darkened his olive skin slightly. His arms, shoulders and chest were more muscular than ever. His jeans were off next, revealing strong thighs, tanned as well. 

In only his black boxer briefs, he came closer, and tied the blindfold over Kurt’s eyes. He yanked on Kurt’s hair, pulling him forward, his face right against Blaine’s cock. 

He didn’t need to say anything. Kurt immediately ran his mouth over him, getting the material wet and clingy, so turned on. He lightly bit at him, just wanting more. 

“Cock hungry slut,” Blaine purred, pulling his underwear down. 

Kurt felt his cock nudging against his lips and he groaned, moving closer to kiss and lick. Blaine grabbed his hair again, keeping him still as he dragged his cock over his face. 

“Open up,” he said, and watched as Kurt’s mouth took him in. A sight he’d never get tired of seeing. Even with the blindfold, he loved that gorgeous face. He controlled the speed, pushing into Kurt’s mouth deeply, holding there, and then finally pulling back to let him gasp for breath. Shallow strokes, enjoying the way Kurt sucked and twirled his tongue around him. 

Pulling out, he wanted to try something else. It took a bit of manoeuvring, but he soon had Kurt lying on his back on the bed, head tilted over the edge a little. Arms still strapped down. 

Being sucked from this angle felt different, but good. He pushed deep, his balls pressing against Kurt’s nose. The angle seemed to make it even easier to push deep, Kurt’s throat more open. He slowly increased the pace, fucking his mouth, pulling out occasionally. Checking on Kurt. 

Reaching down, he ran a hand over Kurt’s chest, rubbing over his nipples, squeezing them. Sometimes they played around with them, using nipple clamps, but not today. His hand went down further, to Kurt’s erection. Impressive as ever. He spread the precum over the tip, and stroked it a few times, watching the way Kurt arched off the bed in pure need. 

He pushed back into Kurt’s mouth then, pushing deep. Kurt took it, angling his head to be the perfect little cocksucker, and moaned, the sound vibrating along his cock. 

“That’s it, that’s it,” Blaine moaned, getting close. Taking his pleasure, knowing Kurt loved this. Knowing he liked him a bit rough, a bit greedy. 

Kurt writhed on the bed, pulling against his restraints, arching his hips. Turned on, and begging without words to be touched. To have Blaine stroke his cock some more.

But he let go instead, his hips giving a few more thrusts before he pulled back, reaching his peak. Kurt took every drop, his mouth wide open, showing it against his tongue. 

Blaine rested, getting his breath back, constantly aware of the highly aroused, blindfolded man lying beside him, aching for release. 

Unlatching Kurt’s wrists from his thighs, he checked that they were still comfortable before latching them together. He got Kurt to turn around on the bed and roll over onto his stomach. 

“Get up on your knees, and bend over,” Blaine said softly, guiding the blindfolded man.

Still so aroused, Kurt groaned at the request, eagerly flaunting his ass. He knew how much Blaine liked it. 

Using some longer latches, Blaine linked the loops on the front of the thigh straps to the wide belt. It kept Kurt in this position, ass up, bent over. Perfect. 

Lightly, he dragged his fingertips over Kurt. His cock, his balls, his ass. Kurt trembled in response, his head down against the bed, leaning on his elbows. At Blaine’s mercy, and loving it. 

Blaine took his time, using his hands and mouth, exploring and teasing. Mostly ignoring that huge, beautiful cock. He had worshipped it many other times. Mostly he played with Kurt’s ass, kissing, sucking and licking. Working his tongue inside. Feeling him shudder in pleasure, moaning out Blaine’s name. 

When he got out the lube, he was fully hard again. It didn’t take much more prep until he was sinking in all the way. Kurt groaned, rocking back into Blaine. 

“Do you think you can cum this way? Just from me fucking you?” Blaine whispered in his ear. “Or do you need me to restrain your hands? Keep you from touching yourself?”

“Mmmm fuck me, please, please,” Kurt moaned, rocking his hips as much as the restraints let him. 

Climbing off the bed, Blaine used the belt to haul Kurt to the edge, and pushed back in. The belt was perfect to hold on to, keeping Kurt in position as he finally started to pound into him. He was hot and tight and perfect. Keening and gasping when Blaine hit his prostate. He started to cum, his ass even tighter around Blaine, and he pushed in all the way, reaching down to stroke Kurt, extending his orgasm, wanting that connection. 

As he felt it ending, he held the belt and thrust hard, not wanting to be left behind. He bit into Kurt’s shoulder, marking him as he came, gasping and sweaty. Rolling them on to their sides. 

The aftermath was always soft touches and gently undoing all the leather restraints. Checking to make sure Kurt wasn’t hurt. Massaging shoulders and wrists. Cleaning up. Cuddling together.

“Good?” Blaine asked, flipping on to his back.

Kurt grinned slowly, his post coital glow more of a blissed out serenity. “So fucking good. I’ll be feeling that for days, in a very good way.”

“I love you,” Blaine gathered him close. He started humming an old song. “When something nibbles your ear, and you are filled with fear, that’s a moray.”

Kurt groaned. “Shit! Now I’m going to have that stupid fucking song stuck in my head for days.”

Chuckling, Blaine kissed his cheek. “You make up a verse.”

“When you get hit on the head, and thugs leave you for dead, that’s a moray,” Kurt sang, rolling his eyes. 

“That’s amnesia,” Blaine corrected, grinning.

“When you escape down the street, and fall down at my feet, that’s amnesia,” Kurt played along.

Blaine looked up at the ceiling, “Um, um... when you meet a stripper so cool, you fall in love like a fool, that’s amnesia.”

Kurt smirked. “When you sleep in the same bed, and he gives amazing head, that’s amnesia.”

“When you see his huge cock, and you just want to fock, that’s amnesia.”

“Fock?” Kurt repeated, giggling. “When you both move away, and you cry everyday, that’s amnesia.” 

“When you see him again, and he’s much more than a friend, that’s amnesia.” 

“When you love him so much, you can’t believe your luck, that’s amnesia.” 

“That doesn’t really rhyme, Kurt.” 

“Don’t judge, or I won’t ever fock you again.” 

“When your partner withholds sex, and can’t take a jest...”

“Shut the fock up...”

“Make me,” Blaine said, smiling widely and looking so happy Kurt could only grin back, probably looking just as much of a lovesick goof. 

He kissed Blaine softly, putting all the emotion he had for this man into it. Hands carding into his hair, just letting the love he felt show in the way he held him, like an invaluable jewel. The man he couldn’t imagine being apart from. His friend. His lover. His husband.

...

-A/N: Yay! Everybody is happy! Thanks for reading this kooky story. I hope you had fun with it. 

-Bubblegum flavoured Vodka: [Link. ](https://www.influenster.com/reviews/three-olives-bubblegum-vodka)

-Caesar: ‘A Caesar (also known as a Bloody Caesar) is a cocktail created and primarily consumed in Canada. It typically contains vodka, a caesar mix (a blend of tomato juice and clam broth), hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and is served with ice in a large, celery salt-rimmed glass, typically garnished with a stalk of celery and wedge of lime. What distinguishes it from a Bloody Mary is the inclusion of clam broth.’ (Wikipedia). YUM!! I’m not really into fishy things, and you don’t really taste ‘clam’ in this drink. It’s a nice blend of many spices, tomato, and a bit of heat. Often restaurants add fun garnishes like a pickled asparagus spear or pickled green bean, or a strip of peppered bacon, instead of celery.  
[Video. ](https://www.macleans.ca/multimedia/video/how-to-mix-the-perfect-caesar/)

-PFLAG: ‘PFLAG is the United States' first and largest organization uniting parents, families, and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+). PFLAG National is the national organization, which provides support to the PFLAG network of local chapters. PFLAG has over 400 chapters across the United States, with more than 200,000 members and supporters.’ (Wikipedia)

-San Juan Island: Blaine & Kurt’s place is here. It is the second largest island of an archipelago in the Pacific Northwest of the United States between the U.S. state of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It has a population of around 7000 and all the basic needs, like a hospital and schools, and ferries to Seattle. Amazingly tall Douglas fir trees and pods of orcas are just some of the natural wonders of the area.

-Alchemy Art Centre: This has been running a few years as a non-profit on San Juan Island & is offering courses in pottery, watercolours, and collages currently. It is basically what Kurt & Blaine’s place is modelled after. [Link.](https://www.alchemyartcenter.com/ourstory)

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